


The Crux of the Matter

by Alexa_Piper



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Because angsty teenage me equated plot with screaming and blood, But this website is a fandom archive and people still like this fic sometimes, F/M, GRAPHIC VIOLENCE PEOPLE THIS WAS WRITTEN DURING THE GOLDEN ERA OF DP VIVISECTION FICS, Gen, GiW cause far too many problems, Halfa Maddie, I almost left it on ffnet as an old work, It's abandoned and being re-written as Crux Redux which you can find on my account, Oh yeah there are copious amounts of fainting etc etc, Okay but to be honest I wasn't even sure that I'd crosspost this here, Okay here are the content tags:, Other halfa characters, The pairings are more of a background thing, Vivisection, backdated fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-17
Updated: 2013-08-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 106,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22876495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexa_Piper/pseuds/Alexa_Piper
Summary: They've been keeping him in the dark all his life. When Danny finally learns the truth he's not exactly thrilled, and definitely not ready to comply. DxS. Revelation fic with a twist. No PP. Slight AU concept. ABANDONED BECAUSE 2013 ME WAS STUPID. NOW CURRENTLY BEING RE-WRITTEN UNDER THE TITLE CRUX REDUX!
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Sam Manson, Tucker Foley/Valerie Gray
Kudos: 3





	1. Catalyst

Maddie rolled her eyes heavenward at the unmistakeable sound of knuckles rapping against the kitchen window. Unfastening the latch, she lifted the heavy frame, allowing the white-suited agents to slip through the gap. "Would it kill you to use the door?" she hissed as they brushed past her.

"Negative," one of them stated in a dead tone. Maddie could not recall his official title, but then again she never had been able to tell. He had been revealed in a tussle with Jack – in which all sunglasses had gone to hell – to have lighter eyes than his darker-skinned partner, so Maddie and Jack had taken to calling him Bright Eyes in private conversation. The irony amused the two Fentons. "We may not use the door as it would bring suspicion upon all our heads," he continued, striking a dramatic pose which the huntress supposed was meant to be majestic. In reality, he looked like he was about to elbow his companion in the nose.

Jack rubbed his eyes and didn't move from his seat at the kitchen table, casually extending his leg as the second agent backpedalled in order to avoid Bright Eyes' protruding elbow. The agent stumbled, tripping on the hunter's leg and falling against the table with a disgruntled noise. Jack turned his head to the side, attempting to hide his smirk as the GIW operatives spluttered inarticulately and gestured wildly at each other before seating themselves without invitation. Maddie sat next to her husband stiffly, and neither host spoke, knowing that their bizarre guests would address the purpose of their impromptu visit when all was silent.

Bright Eyes tilted his head, clasping meaty hands on the scarred table top and flicking his index finger in Maddie's general direction. "You no doubt know why we are here," he intoned.

The huntress barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes dramatically. "You need another sample?" she drawled.

The second agent, whom Jack had dubbed Speckles for reasons unknown, raised a dark eyebrow. "Your willingness is certainly inspiring. However, we do not require anything of that nature today."

Jack squeezed his wife's hand under the table. Maddie squeezed back before lacing her fingers within his, drawing strength from the contact.

"You are aware, I trust, of the delicate nature of your condition, Madeline," Bright eyes drawled, steepling his fingers. Jack fought down the urge to kick him beneath the table as the burly man continued. "We are here to notify you of the new procedure which will be implemented from midnight onwards. Human-ghost hybrids are now protected from hunters by law, as you know. However-"

Speckles, who had been squirming with excitement since his colleague commenced with the explanation, butted in loudly. "You need to be registered!" He grinned like a simpleton before quailing beneath the other's glare.

" _As_ I was saying," the first continued, "all _halfas_ shall be registered with the government. They are to be assigned one hunter and one scientist to cater to their specific needs and to ensure that they do not overstep the boundaries of the law."

Maddie found that her free hand was shaking in her lap, but she couldn't figure out if it was from elation or terror. "And what exactly will this entail?" she hissed. Or fury. Quite possibly fury.

Bright Eyes smiled in a way that made her want to curl up and cry. "Halfas shall work for the government, using their specific abilities. They will not be exposed to the public, but the local law enforcement will be aware of each half ghost citizen in their area."

"And how will you police this?" Jack enquired, faking an air of nonchalance as Maddie's fingers trembled within his gentle grasp.

The dark smile widened, and Bright Eyes' eyes glittered with malice. "A very big gun. Any halfa that does not have their ectosignature keyed into the system will be targeted, no matter what form they are in."

Jack sighed, raising both hands to run them through his hair in exasperation. "Is this because of Vladdie? Look, I know that he's a bit out of control, but-"

"He is of no concern to us; the law will deal with him soon enough. However, we have reason to believe that halfas have been emerging from the Ghost Zone for the past decade, taking up residence in our world. Whilst the numbers are small, we are currently taking measures to control what could become a mass invasion. There is also the matter of the so-called protector of Amity Park – recent evidence suggests that Phantom is half human."

This time Maddie did roll her eyes, clasping her hands on the table's worn surface. "You actually think that we'd want to take over the world?" she scoffed. "And why Amity Park, of all places?" The huntress ignored the comment about Phantom – the young ghost had formed a truce with the Fentons almost eighteen months prior, and whilst the woman had noticed signs indicating his half ghost status, she had not yet broached the subject for fear of alienating or offending the teen.

Bright Eyes raised a thick brow from beneath his shades. "Amity Park is the ghost capital of the United States of America. As such, the gun shall be initially located here. If the trial is successful, a similar gun shall be installed in every major city of America." His eyes slid to the woman's wrist and Maddie self-consciously rubbed at the back of her neck in an attempt to remove it from his line of vision. "You should remove that," he murmured, motioning towards her battered watch. "It has become redundant."

Maddie frowned. "You've forced me to wear this since I married Jack!" she exclaimed, slamming her palms against the table in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. "Why do you suddenly want my powers to be unbound?"

"It is necessary," Bright Eyes stated. "If not, the gun would be unable to detect your entire ectosignature due to the watch's interference, resulting in you getting shot."

" _What?_ " Jack hissed, his eyes glittering with fury.

Bright Eyes sighed, completely ignoring the hunter's question. "Did any of your children inherit the halfa gene?"

Maddie gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Jazz didn't, but Danny did. His powers are dormant, though – they still haven't been activated, and he knows nothing about all of this."

As Bright Eyes scowled, Jack waved his hand through the air. "I've got a question," the Fenton patriarch interjected. "How is Vladdie a halfa if his parents are human? Don't you need a halfa gene for powers to be activated?"

Speckles grinned, delighting in the fact that he knew more than the Fentons for once. "Mr Masters' great grandfather – the founder of our supreme organisation – was a halfa, but kept the secret from all but his colleagues. Vlad inherited the gene from him, but thought that he had contracted a terrible disease upon exposure to an ectoplasmic catalyst, and quarantined himself for twenty years. What an idiot!"

Jack frowned as though struggling to comprehend this new information. Before he could open his mouth to ask any more questions, the two agents had stood as if at some unseen signal. Speckles inclined his head towards the Fenton matriarch. "Your ectosignature has already been keyed into the device so you will not be targeted. Jack is your assigned hunter, and I am your scientist." He then spoke to both husband and wife. "You are to meet us in the town square at approximately five minutes to midnight, where you will be acquainted with the gun, and it shall be turned over into your hands. After the demonstration tonight, you two are charged with the maintenance and monitoring of the weapon. Good evening." Before either Fenton could respond, the operatives had scrambled out the window and slunk into the gloaming.

Maddie stared at the open window for a moment before shifting her attention to the bubbling pot on the stove. The soup within had turned ectoplasm green, corroding the pot and oozing onto the stovetop where it burned in the fire, giving off the occasional low-pitched moan and a smell like Danny's dirty socks. Jack followed her gaze before chuckling. "You wanna order pizza?" he asked.


	2. Shivers

Danny pushed the chair back from his desk, stretching his arms above his head with a satisfied groan. Today, he decided, had definitely been a good day. The only ghost to appear had been Boxy, and with a record low of three reappearances, Danny didn't see any reason to let that sour his otherwise exceptional day. He'd been on time to every class, had actually completed his homework, and as an extra bonus, Dash had been away at some sort of state football meet. Letting his arms drop, the halfa glanced out the window at the darkening sky with a sigh before wrinkling his nose.

"What _is_ that?" he muttered, getting to his feet and stretching a second time before padding down the hallway. Descending the stairs to the kitchen, the teen moaned inwardly as he caught sight of the pot on the stove, its glowing contents visible from where he stood. Jack, who was on the phone, caught sight of Danny's face and sent his son a grin coupled with a thumbs up.

_Pizza_ , the large man mouthed, pointing at the receiver. Danny grinned, bounding down the final three steps and heading to the living room. He collapsed onto the couch with a happy sigh, sending Maddie a smile where she sat in an armchair.

Maddie's expression shifted so suddenly that Danny glanced down at himself to check that he wasn't accidentally in ghost form. "Mum?" He moved to sit up straight, only then noticing the object clasped in her slender fingers. "What, your watch busted or something? I thought that thing was indestructible!"

...

Maddie's frown became more pronounced as she studied the aura surrounding her son. The sensation of a nearby spectral presence had been apparent as soon as the band had loosened from around her wrist, and now that Danny sat before her, small shivers had begun to wrap around the woman's spine.

Her son blinked and Maddie remembered his question. "I just felt like a change, since I haven't taken this thing off since I married your father!" She forced a smile, trying to slide into her son's mind telepathically. Immediately, she hit a wall of solid glass. A mirror. Maddie shook her head slightly, frowning at her own folly. If Danny was hiding something, his own mind would subconsciously throw up barriers to protect it. The fewer people he confided in, the more opaque the walls.

She kept her eyes on the teen, waiting for a change in behaviour that indicated he sensed her as well, poised for his own mental counterattack… Danny rubbed at his temples with a grimace, and the woman realised that perhaps his powers were not as developed as his aura had led her to believe. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Why do you ask?"

Maddie shrugged. "You look like you have a headache."

Danny nodded wearily. "Must be the three essays I just wrote."

"Take an aspirin," the woman advised, inwardly knowing that human medication would do nothing to dull the pain brought on by premature telepathy. The guilt twisted in her chest, and Maddie tightened her gloved grasp around the watch that bound her powers as long as it touched her skin. _Not even five minutes in, and I've already hurt him…_

Jack bounded into the room with a triumphant exclamation. "The pizza'll be here in fifteen minutes!"

"That's great." Danny's voice had become flat and strained, his fingers still pressed against his temples. Jack stilled and Maddie flinched as blue tendrils slipped through their son's lips. Danny glanced up, his head swinging from one parent to the other with terror clear on his face. "I-I gotta go, bathroom," he spluttered, leaping to his feet and taking the stairs two at a time.

...

Locking the door behind him, Danny sank down to sit on the edge of the bath. He pressed a trembling hand to his mouth. _Did they see?_ Screwing his eyes shut, he shook his head and shakily got to his feet. _I guess I'll know when I get back._

He called up the blue-white rings that trapped him between life and death. Their painful sting paralysed his chest, a burst of intense cold issuing from his core – until the transformation was complete Danny could not draw breath, and his heart faltered in its already slow beating. This was due to his immaturity; until his core reached a 'mature' state in the year of his tenth deathday, Danny would have to deal with painful transformations, undeveloped powers, and infrequent but uncontrollable displays of his ghostly characteristics in relation to his mood. This frustrated the halfa, and the sting of each transformation served to remind him that in relation to his opponents, he was still an infant. No wonder Skulker had become so infuriated after two years of repeated failure…

As the lights winked out at his head and feet Danny drew in breath and launched himself through the wall, floating above the street invisibly. Focusing on his ghost sense, Danny felt a bright, cold light pulse in his mind, establishing where his opponent was. Realising from the signal that the intruder was fairly weak, Danny looped through the air with a sigh before beginning his pursuit. _I swear, if it's that damned Box Ghost again…_

...

Maddie shivered as Danny slammed the bathroom door, her own ghost sense going off moments later in a breath of icy air. Jack glanced at her sharply as she tensed, violet eyes sweeping to the ceiling in panic as a freezing aura left the house.

"Mads, wha-"

The realisation slammed into her gut and she exhaled in a strangled shriek. "Danny's a halfa!"

Jack leaned heavily against the back of the couch. " _What?_ "

Maddie pressed her eyelids closed, feeling her hands begin to shake. The speck in her mind that was Danny sped in the direction of the docks, encountering a dimmer and therefore less powerful speck. Jack was talking, but she couldn't make sense of what he was saying – the words blended together into background noise, no more significant than the spinning of their washing machine or the distant sound of traffic two streets over. Her mind felt dead as she tried to find an explanation, something, _anything_ which could have acted as an ectoplasmic catalyst to awaken Danny's powers. It would have had to be an exposure of unparalleled proportions to provide a dose of ectoplasm that would usually be administered to a child over several months. Danny had never come into contact with anything that powerful, as nothing of its description existed…

The huntress blanched, glancing at her husband as the colour leached from his own face, and they said it at the same time. " _The portal!_ "

...

Danny hovered above the warehouses lining the docks, screwing the cap back onto the thermos as he surveyed his surroundings with disgust – cardboard boxes, some empty but most not, were scattered over the shoreline. _Trust Boxy to make a mess,_ the teen fumed. He shook the thermos vigorously before angling himself towards home and the promise of food which for once would not make him violently sick.

Landing in the bathroom, he took a deep breath and changed back into his human form with a grimace before flushing the toilet, squaring his shoulders, and descending to the kitchen as though nothing was amiss. _Maybe they didn't notice my ghost sense. Please, let them not have noticed…_

...

"Should we tell him everything, or just leave things as they are?" Jack asked childishly, looking to his wife for the answer.

Maddie felt her eyes begin to burn. "We have to, don't we? He's got to be registered, or that gun…" She trailed off, tears beginning to cut her face into sections. The huntress felt Danny re-enter the house, and she supposed that he had switched to human form as his aura diminished considerably. The doorbell rang, and Danny answered the door as Jack forced himself to his feet, producing money to pay the delivery man.

...

Dinner was an awkward affair. The loudest sounds were the ticking clock and Maddie's occasional sobs as she tried to unsuccessfully hold back her tears. Jack stared at his son when he thought that Danny wasn't looking, and the teen felt his shoulders steadily creep closer to his ears. After his first slice, the hero couldn't stand it any longer. "What's wrong?" he asked, pushing away his plate and trying to catch his mother's eyes.

Maddie dissolved into hysterics and hunched over her own plate, sobbing to her hands. Danny flinched. "What's wrong?!" he cried, moving to stand. The headache continued to throb through his temples, and Danny grimaced in discomfort.

Jack waved him away with a sympathetic look. "Take your dinner upstairs, Danny-boy. Your mother's had a really rough day, and it'd be best if you left us alone for a while."

Danny wasn't going anywhere. "Is this because of me?"

Jack's voice was remarkably steady given the circumstances. "Why would it be because of you?"

Danny met his father's unwavering blue gaze before faltering. How he ached to meet the challenge in those eyes, to just throw the words into the centre of the kitchen table. _I'm Phantom._ Those two words struggled to climb from where they nestled in his chest, but Danny couldn't find the strength to force them up his suddenly dry throat and through stuttering lips. _I've got ghost powers and you damned well know it too, don't you?_

He snagged the rest of his dinner and fled the scene without making another sound.

...

Maddie blew her nose for what felt like the millionth time, dabbing at the tear tracks on her cheeks. Jack rubbed his hand in small, slow circles on her back as he tried to hold back his own rebellious waterworks – it wouldn't do for both of them to break down together. Not yet, anyway. "He must be terrified of us," the huntress rasped. "We're always talking about tearing ghosts apart!" She had felt her son change and fly off shortly after dinner. He had yet to return.

The clock chimed once, indicating that they had under half an hour to meet the agents. Jack tenderly wiped the tears from his wife's face with the pads of his thumbs. "Come on, let's learn how to work this gun. Maybe we can warn Danny in the process."

"We don't even know his ghost form," the huntress moaned.

"We'll figure it out," Jack assured her, planting a kiss on the tip of her nose and taking her hand. The hunter guided his wife out the door and into the RV, and Maddie simply sat and watched listlessly, not even scolding her husband when he ran two red lights and drove through the council gardens. This worried Jack more than anything else had – their son would be fine, after all. They'd simply talk to him in the morning.

...

The gun was big alright. Speckles demonstrated the controls to the Fentons with a grin on his face the entire time, not at all fazed by the drizzle misting his hair and making Jack's nose freeze. The explanation had already lasted for half an hour, and mostly consisted of the agents congratulating themselves on developing such a unique and advanced piece of technology.

Phantom and Ghost X were fighting again several hundred metres above them, but Jack was the only one who glanced up often. None of the hunters felt that they were in the slightest bit of danger, considering the frequency of this particular fight coupled with the Fentons' longstanding truce with the town's resident hero.

Maddie hugged herself, shivering as the rain grew heavier. Phantom. As soon as she got to the bottom of her son's secrets she would pursue Phantom's wholeheartedly. The young halfa was obviously a selfless individual, and lately the huntress had begun to worry about the injuries that he seemed to sustain. His apparent lack of several basic powers indicated that Phantom's core was young, and possibly still in early stages of development, but the level of his proficiency spoke of untold strength and years of training.

Maddie blinked, jerked out of her thoughts as Speckles loudly announced that it was now officially a new era and keyed the activation code into the gun. Maddie gave a shout of protest. "Phantom's up there!" she screeched as it came to life, whirring whilst lights flickered on all over its surface. The agents grinned and the blood drained from Jack's face as he looked up to gauge exactly how far the teen was above the ground.

" _Phantom, land now!_ " Maddie screamed at the top of her lungs. The glowing form about two dozen metres above her twisted, and the woman fancied that she could see Phantom's frown through the drizzle.

With a high-pitched whine five shots were loosed into the sky in quick succession, followed by a terrified scream.


	3. Tessellate

Danny chucked a few lazy backsaults, chuckling lightly as the lights of Amity Park sparkled through the drizzle far below. Flying was what he was made for. He fell towards the ground, catching himself just before he could hit the pavement. The rain didn't bother him, as it meant that there was nobody to gape at his behaviour. Well, almost nobody. The halfa rocketed into the sky again, pointedly ignoring the two men in white who watched his antics through binoculars in the town square. So long as they didn't disturb him Danny couldn't give a damn what the GIW were up to. _Especially_ tonight.

_You bloody coward, Fenton._ Corkscrewing tightly, he launched himself into the clouds. _You couldn't say it, could you?_ The headache was threatening to evolve into a migraine, and Danny flipped to float on his back, massaging his temples gently. "I should have just told them," he whispered, his voice immediately snatched away by the storm.

Danny's chest tightened as he floated there, cold air leaving his lungs in a strangled gasp and tendrils of blue breath. The teen crinkled his brow, head snapping up in the direction of the school. Muttering darkly, Danny dove towards the building, halting several car lengths from the ridiculous metal suit.

"Time to die, Whelp!" Skulker hollered. Danny moaned in exasperation, rubbing tired eyes with the heels of his gloved hands; Skulker has stopped trying to mount his pelt above the mantelpiece a few months earlier, wailing something about Danny no longer being a rare species. Instead, the ghost had decided that he would simply attempt to overtake the world, much to Danny's frustration.

"Shut up and get lost – I'm not in the mood."

Skulker cackled, lunging forwards in a clumsy manoeuvre with a large curved blade. The halfa shot upwards, taking the fight into the sky where the only property that would be damaged was his assailant's tin can of a suit. Charging ectoblasts in his hands, Danny shot a volley into the shiny helmet, chuckling as it dented like tinfoil.

"How dare you damage my machine of evil?! For that you must die!"

Danny flipped out of the way of Skulker's retaliation blast, punching the helmet from behind. "Pretty faulty machine if you ask me." Losing himself in the fight, the halfa felt his troubles melt away. He felt like he could fly to the moon and back at top speed without even getting out of breath. Danny laughed in pure joy, revelling in the _rightness_ of his form buoyed up by nothing but air. He was barely bothered by this buffoon anymore – yes, the fights were still loud and often caused the teen a few bruises and the occasional laceration, but Danny viewed it as nothing more than a workout.

They exchanged a half dozen more hits as Skulker laughed like a maniac – honestly, did all evil villains have to go to some school to learn that stupid laugh? – and then Danny sucked the pest into the thermos.

He sighed, glancing down to note that the agents were where he had left them. Their attention was no longer on him, and Danny realised with a jolt that his parents were down there too. The teen began to loop lazily through the air, slowly losing altitude. _I've got to tell Mum and Dad… As soon as they're done talking to those morons._ His headache returned as the final tendrils of adrenaline seeped from his bloodstream, and Danny sighed.

"Phantom's up there!" The shout was faint, masked by the rain, but still understandable. _Duh, I've been in this area for the past hour or so…_

Chucking another lazy loop, the teen tensed at his mother's scream. " _Phantom, land now!_ " Flipping to face the ground, he began to drop rapidly, automatically obeying that particular tone.

A whine penetrated Danny's throbbing skull as several metal barbs penetrated his skin, burying themselves deep into his body and slamming their ends into his core. A pure scream of pain and fear tore from the teen's throat and he felt his body weaken, the sharp spikes sapping the strength from his centre. He only fell about twenty metres – a relatively short distance considering the halfa's previous crashes – but Danny still felt several bones break as he hit the top of the RV and from there tumbled to the ground.

...

Maddie covered her mouth as Phantom fell from the sky and hit the GAV with several wet cracks. He screamed, his momentum carrying him off the top of the vehicle and onto the ground with another audible snap. Speckles' grin faltered and then disappeared entirely as the teen let out a shriek, struggling to sit up by leaning on arms that had the jagged ends of bone sticking out of them. Phantom collapsed back into the mud, sobbing helplessly.

Maddie moved to the teen's side as quickly as possible, teleporting across the town square to kneel beside him. Her hands hovered over his shaking form, and the huntress visually assessed what injuries were apparent straight away. He cracked open a glowing green eye and Maddie gently placed a hand on his shoulder, immediately withdrawing at the young man's whimper. "M-mum?" he slurred, beginning to cough. The movement made Phantom tense, his eyes screwing shut as he threw back his head and opened his mouth in a scream that bordered on a ghostly wail.

The woman felt her heart begin to break as she stroked his cheek. "No, it's Maddie. Shhhh," she soothed as the teen struggled to move, his raw sounds of pain interspersed with hacking coughs. "Your ribs have punctured your lungs, so please lie still so I can heal you!"

Phantom stared at her. "You jus-argh…! You… Shot me! You shot me out of the sky!" He paused, his face twisting before taking on an expression of such _betrayal_ that the woman recoiled. "You can _what?!_ "

Jack and the agents chose that moment to kneel around the teen. "Mads is a halfa, like you," Jack supplied. "The gun targets halfas, but we didn't mean to shoot you. It was an accident, please…"

The ghost boy flinched as several pairs of gloved hands held him down. Maddie turned her hands intangible, sliding them into his chest. She grasped the jagged ends of bone, phasing them back into place and melding the ends together with a burst of cold. The teen shrieked, grasping Jack's hand with all his might.

As the healing progressed the town's hero became increasingly agitated, and when Maddie was working on the final injury, he began to spit words through gritted teeth. "I can't believe you. You had me terrified, Maddie!" Phantom tensed as Jack stroked white hair out of blazing green eyes, and the agents relinquished their grasp, scooting backwards at the outburst. "You… I don't… How could you ever expect me to trust you? _What did you have to fear?! I thought you'd tear me apart for being such a freak and yet here you are, exactly the same as me!"_

The woman said nothing, running expert fingers over the young man's body to locate any other major injuries; she'd deal with the barbs last. Phantom squeezed his eyes shut, tears leaking out the sides to mingle with the sheen left by the drizzle on his skin. "You… I-I… Muaaaddie, get your hands out of me!" His eyes were open again, their glowing emerald depths furious.

Maddie pulled back in shock and Phantom crouched on his feet in an instant, clutching at his torso and stomach where glints of metal could be seen through the tears in his suit. "I need to get those out of you!" she exclaimed.

"No." He was seething – Maddie could taste the acidic emotion in the air. "Don't touch me!"

She reached towards the teen, trying to make him stay. Phantom shook his head once, and then turned on the spot and disappeared in a flash of light. Maddie felt his aura appear instantly three blocks away before winking out of existence. She whistled lowly, pondering this sudden display of teleportation – a skill that she had never seen him display before – and at the unsettling familiarity of his aura. She mentally cursed her mediocre ghost sense; if a halfa was more than approximately twenty metres away, she was unable to sense them in human form.

"We sure scared him," Jack murmured.

...

This time it was Maddie who drove, her fingers grasping the steering wheel far tighter than necessary. Jack slumped in his seat, staring at his gloved hands. A lump nestled snugly in the hunter's throat, Phantom's screams replaying in his head as the child fell from the sky and broke into pieces upon impact. Shudders repeatedly shook Jack's frame that had nothing to do with his suit drenched from the rain, and the hunter fancied that he could feel his _own_ bones snapping like dry twigs. _What have I done?_

Jack Fenton was not a stupid man. Simple, yes. But not stupid. He adored his job and his fudge and his family, and loved blabbering on about said three. But he noticed things, even if he didn't mention them. Previously, the hunter had shrugged it off – Danny's hand did _not_ turn intangible at breakfast, Jack had simply been watching through half-closed eyes; The ghost boy did _not_ refer to them as his parents, Jack's mind was simply too focused on the thrill of the chase to pay proper attention to conversation; Danny's eyes did _not_ glow green when he glared at Vlad, it was simply a reflection of the fluorescent light.

And then there was Phantom's outburst back in the square.

The hunter buried his face in trembling hands. _What do I tell Mads? Gosh… How do I confront Danny about this?!_

"Jack?" Maddie's voice was soft, her expression gentle as she put the GAV into park. The Fentonworks sign flashed above them, its reflection clear on the windscreen.

He glanced up at his wife, realising in that instant that she still hadn't pieced things together. Gulping, the hunter sat up straight. "Thanks, Mads." He'd keep himself in control – Jack Fenton was not going to allow himself to break down and expose the boy. After all, it was Danny's secret to tell.

...

Danny shook his head as his mother reached for him, his body shaking with fury and pain and possibly a bit of cold and fear as well. He spun, using his momentum to produce the extra boost required for teleportation in a weakened state. It was a trick that he had only learned a week beforehand, and this was his first time attempting it in a stressful situation. Thus, the halfa was rather surprised when it worked. He took a deep breath and summoned the rings to change into human form, hiding himself from his mother's ghost sense as best he could. His mother! The boy kicked at a rock, his anger mounting. How _dare_ she hide that from him? _It's not like she had to fear vivisection or abandonment!_ he seethed.

Danny shivered and aimed for home, clutching at his damaged body. Whilst Maddie had healed his broken bones, they were obviously still very fragile – when stumbling, Danny snapped his wrist again trying to catch himself on a car bonnet. Holding back his shrieks, the teen hissed curses through teeth gritted in pain and hobbled the last few streets to Fentonworks.

The RV was in the drive.

Danny seriously considered spending the night at Sam's; the only thing that stopped him was Mrs Manson's reaction the last time she found him asleep in Sam's room early one morning. Even after dating their daughter for almost two years, the Manson parents did not like Danny one whit. Tucker's place wasn't an option either since the Foleys' installation of a highly sensitive ghost security system three days earlier – it had even managed to target Danny in human form when his ghost sense went off! Tucker had attempted twice already to modify the system, but so far had achieved nothing besides emitting a frequency that caused Valerie's jet sled to stop working when she was pursuing Technus fifty metres above the ground - Phantom had barely managed to catch her.

Deciding to face the inevitable, Danny entered the front door, cradling his wrist to his chest.

"Danny," Maddie shrieked as she caught sight of him, "what happened to you?!" Her voice held an edge of hysteria, and Danny felt the fury that had simmered throughout his walk home suddenly boil over.

He sent his mother the filthiest glare he could muster, angling it at Jack as well when the damp, orange-clad man looked up from the weapon he was tinkering with. _The heck with this,_ Danny decided, feeling the words finally tear themselves free from the depths of his core, awkward and accusatory. "I got _shot out of the sky._ How's your evening been?"


	4. Uninvited

Maddie fainted.

Danny stared at her crumpled form for a moment before kneeling beside her, gasping at the pain that shot through his core. His mouth twisting at the reversal of roles, the teen felt his strength drain further with a sickening lurch. The illusion covering his scarred skin melted away, and Danny reached out to run freezing fingers over Maddie's brow. He started, glancing up in surprise as Jack collapsed onto his knees on the other side of Maddie's prone form. "Danny-boy?" he whispered.

Danny kept his eyes downcast, pressing the back of his hand to his mother's cheek. Jack grasped Danny's chin gently, forcing the now-powerless halfa to look at him. The teen frowned as tears began to crawl down his father's cheeks. "Dad?" Never before had Jack Fenton cried in front of his children.

"D-Danny?"

He licked his lips. "Yeah. I-I'm… I'm not… human…"

"Danny… Oh, gosh… I-I-I…" His voice cracked, and Jack gave a sob, throwing his arms around the frail shoulders of the halfa in front of him. "What have I done?"

"What?!"

"I hunted you!" Jack wailed. "My own son! I-I…" Breaking off, the human choked and buried his face in the hybrid's hair.

Danny squirmed in his father's grasp. The man seemed not to notice, his arms wrapped tightly around the teen's torso and neck. Realising that his efforts were pointless, the halfa fruitlessly attempted to phase out of the arm that had tightened considerably around his throat. His damaged core refused to comply, instead shooting a pulse of energy through Danny's body. Sparks leaped between the boy's fingers and where they brushed against his mother's brow before sinking beneath the huntress' skin.

Maddie stirred, her brain jolted into wakefulness by the pulse as Danny reached up to grasp at the strong arms enfolding him. "Dad… can't… breathe…"

Jack jerked away as though he had accidentally brushed against the stove. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" he gasped, hands fluttering frantically through the air over his boy's shoulders.

Danny blinked several times, mouth slightly open at the man's uncharacteristic reaction; he had been expecting Jack's customary rumbling chuckle, along with an extra tight squeeze before release. "I'm fine, it takes more than that to kill me." He was trying to keep his voice light, but Danny's attempt at nonchalance fell flat as the large man's face crumpled. "Wait, no-"

Danny was cut off by his mother's shriek as she saw his scars in full detail for the first time. " _Danny!_ " She sat up, pulling the startled boy into her own arms as Jack sat back on his heels and wailed at the ceiling.

"Mum, it's oka-"

"Daniel James Fenton, it is _not_ okay, so don't you dare tell me otherwise!" Maddie pressed her face against his freshly healed shoulder, eliciting a wince from the teen. She took a shuddering breath, slight body trembling as she bunched the soaked fabric of his jumper in her tiny fists. "What have I done?"

The question was almost silent, and if her mouth hadn't been so close to his ear, Danny doubted that he would have heard it. "What have _you_ done?" he demanded, jumping to his feet and taking several steps back. "What have _I_ done is a more appropriate question!" Danny felt his eyes grow wet and he swatted at frustrated tears with his good hand. "I destroyed inventions, snuck out after dark, skipped school, and so much more that you could never even _begin_ to guess! Why aren't you angry with me?!"

The hunters got to their feet slowly, Jack giving his wife a hand up as Danny stared determinedly at a spot just beyond their heads. Maddie moved forwards and Danny jerked back, keeping his gaze distant and unfocused. She paused before moving forwards again, gloved fingers gently skimming over his tearstained cheeks. "Danny, look at me."

He obeyed, if only so that she would remove her hand from his face. "Good. Now, your father and I are going through to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. You look like you could use a cup, and I want to take a look at those nasty cuts that the ground gave your face and arms."

He took another step back with a muttered "You're ignoring it."

"Ignoring what?" Jack sniffled.

A wave of frustration washed through the hero, his headache making it difficult to think clearly. "Don't you get it? I'm Phantom, and you know it, don't you?!" he shouted at the loudest volume that he was capable of. "I'm Danny Phantom, InvisoBill, public enemy number one, the _Ghost Boy!_ However you say it, I'm the one you've been hunting all this time! Go on, kick me out, trap me in one of those _dehumanising_ nets, drag me off to the lab for unimaginable torture! Scream at me, ground me for the rest of my life, just _do something_ instead of standing there and pretending that you haven't put two and two together! That, out of all things, is something that I can't stand." He finished at a whisper, exhaustion and recent tears leaving his normally vivid cerulean eyes washed-out and hopeless.

The hurt on his parents' faces felt like a blow to the gut.

Before Danny could even attempt to find the words to make this right, Jack found his tongue. "We're not pretending, Danny-boy. Please, just come and sit down." Danny had never seen his father this dejected before, not even during the man's humiliation when Vlad had hired hunters and placed a million-dollar bounty on the resident halfa's head.

Averting his eyes in shame, Danny looked at the ground, noting in his peripheral vision that he was covered in a mixture of mud, blood, and ectoplasm. He glanced at the mirror that hung beside the door, noting with shock that green and red oozed sluggishly from scrapes that ran down the side of his face. _Hm, I didn't even feel that until now,_ he mused as various small injuries across his body made themselves known.

Jack cleared his throat and Danny remembered the man's suggestion. Scrubbing the sleeve of his hoodie across puffy eyes, the teen allowed himself to be led to the kitchen and ushered into a chair.

Jack busied himself with boiling the kettle and preparing a platter of fudge while Maddie fluttered over his son.

"Can I clean those?" she asked, gesturing to his wounds. Danny gave a half-hearted shrug, allowing his mother to cleanse his skin with warm, damp cloths and his cuts with antiseptic. "You're used to this," the woman commented as she swabbed another cut.

Danny shrugged. "Yeah, these are everyday injuries." He mentally cursed his loose tongue as Maddie's lips tightened, the creases around her eyes hardening.

He hissed involuntarily when she bumped his wrist.

"I thought…" Maddie trailed off and healed it without another word. After a few more swabs with the cloths, she gave a nod of approval. "Alright, you're looking a lot better now."

Jack turned around at that, giving a tight smile. He reached forwards, pressing his thumb against the scrape that marred one side of his son's face. Pulling back, the hunter examined the immiscible blood and ectoplasm that coated the pad of the digit with a thoughtful expression. "To think that I never noticed," he murmured, turning back to the stove as the kettle began to shriek.

Maddie helped her son manoeuvre out of his tattered hoodie, and Danny yelped in surprised pain as her fingers brushed against his shirt and the barbs beneath it. Armed with scissors and a frown, the huntress cut the shirt away from Danny before he could so much as protest. Danny got his first look at the offending barbs and felt like he was going to throw up.

They were shaped like limpets or barnacles, sharp edges digging into his skin and drawing blood. Each one was about the size of a closed fist, and there were five of them scattered over his chest and stomach. At the centre of each 'barnacle' Danny knew that a spike was embedded in his body, cutting deep into his core and weaving to bypass anything that got in the way, leaving his organs and major veins and arteries mercifully unharmed. Tucker had a point – good old technology. Danny exhaled in a relieved sigh, thankful above all else that the barnacles were located in such a fashion that they obscured one particular scar's rather damning shape.

Jack placed two steaming mugs on the table next to the fudge, whistling tunelessly. His own mug shattered on the floor upon catching sight of his son's mutilated body. Danny flinched at the commotion, squirming beneath his mother's fingers and avoiding either parent's eyes.

The young man's stomach chose that moment to complain loudly.

Danny flushed. Maddie pushed a mug into his hands and the teen appraised its contents warily. After noting that it wasn't glowing, Danny downed the warm beverage, his stomach beginning to settle now that it was no longer completely empty.

He ate over half of the fudge as his mother tried everything from pliers to intangibility in an attempt to remove the barnacles. Each new method tore pained cries from deep within Danny's chest, and when the woman finally conceded defeat he was grasping the edge of the table as hard as he could, lip torn and bloody where he had chewed it open.

"Maybe we should just leave it for tonight," he suggested weakly. "We can always call up the Guys in White in the morning."

Maddie visibly bristled. "And let them know your human identity? I don't think so."

Danny shook his head. "Just tell them that I got shot on the way home late from Tucker's place or something."

"That won't work," Jack supplied. "The gun only works on halfas whose core has been activated. They'll _force_ you to show them your ghost form." A scraping noise startled the assembled Fentons, and they turned towards the window as one.

Danny had never seen his mother's expression so clearly screaming murder.

Maddie marched to the window, drawing the curtains smartly across it. Danny sighed as the muffled pounding of fists against the wooden window frame reverberated through his still-throbbing skull. "We need their help," he insisted in a small voice.

"No, we _don't!_ "

" _Mum!_ The pain's only getting worse as time goes on!" The huntress stilled at her son's quavering exclamation. "I feel like if we don't get these out really soon, my core's going to collapse! I don't really want those morons to know who I am, _but I_ _need their help._ "

Maddie turned back to the curtains, twitching them open a crack. "Why are you here?" she demanded, ensuring that her voice was loud enough to be heard clearly from the other side of the window.

"Our tracker tells us that Phantom's here."

Her back tense and movements almost robotic, Maddie pulled the curtains wide once again and opened the window, allowing the two agents from earlier in the evening to climb through.

She punched each agent in the face as hard as she could as soon as they both stood in her kitchen, smirking as they recoiled with startled cries. Sunglasses fell to the floor in pieces. Making his own attempt at violence, Jack swept Speckles into a headlock, restricting the man's windpipe effectively.

Bright Eyes ignored his gagging companion, eyes drawn towards the glint of metal across the room. Danny shifted uncomfortably as the man stared at his shirtless body, gaze fixing on the barnacles with a predatory gleam. "I wasn't aware that your son is a half-breed," the agent commented nonchalantly with a gloating smile that was all teeth. He extended a hand towards the teen. "Mr Phantom, I presume?"

Danny glared at the proffered hand before turning away with a sigh. "Shut the hell up and drop the pleasantries," the hero scoffed as Jack relinquished his grasp on Speckles. The darker-skinned agent slumped to the floor, gasping in air with unnecessary theatrics.

"You bumbling oaf, you could have killed me!" he choked, pointing at Jack in outrage.

"Consider it a warning; if you _ever_ hurt my son again, I swear upon the name of Fenton that you will pay for the rest of your miserable life," Jack growled, his eyes glittering with cold fury.

Danny stared open-mouthed at his father, and Jack sent his son a sheepish grin. Bright Eyes visibly shook himself, placing a slim silver briefcase on the dining table. He pressed his thumb against the in-built scanner, and a segment of the exterior slid back to reveal a keyboard. The agent typed in a lengthy code, fingers blurring over the keys at a speed impossible to follow.

The briefcase beeped in satisfaction, its lid popping open to reveal a collection of foam-packed syringes filled with purple liquid that shimmered in the fluorescent light.

Danny scooted backwards in his chair, stopping only when he hit the wall. "Don't even think about it," the teenager hissed.

Bright Eyes cocked an eyebrow. "Whatever are you talking about?"

Danny's eyes darted between the agents' unreadable expressions and the open case. He swallowed thickly. "Don't play dumb with me. Isn't that a sedative?"

"I don't recall encountering any records of our sedatives being used on you," the man murmured, tracing the sleek curve of one of the tubes with the tip of his finger.

"You wouldn't," Danny countered. "It's too complicated for you to understand anyway."

"Time travel? The sensors show that your core reeks of that particular activity."

The hero sent Bright Eyes the filthiest look he was capable of, and the agent held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Halfas can tell when someone around them is lying, right? Well, I swear that these syringes do not contain any form of sedative. All they hold is a concoction which will settle your core into place, preventing it from tearing apart and crippling you when the barbs are removed."

Danny's eyes shifted to meet his mother's. "Is he telling the truth?"

Maddie nodded. "As far as I can tell."

Speckles had finally made it to his feet, and stalked towards the powerless halfa. "Our sedatives of a similar colour to the concoction before you are only used for certain surgical procedures…"

Danny shifted to his feet and punched the agent in his already-swollen nose with one unbroken movement. "Don't even _think_ about mentioning your damned _procedures!_ "

Speckles fell onto his rump, clutching at his now broken nose with a cry. Danny stood over him, both hands clenched into fists, his rasping breaths and the fallen agent's whimpers the only sounds in the room. Groaning, Danny sank back into his chair, slumping bare shoulders. "Just get these stupid things out of me before my core collapses."

Maddie and Jack moved to flank their son, holding him in place with gentle hands. Bright Eyes removed five syringes from their foam packaging, laying them lovingly on the table in a perfect row. Speckles, recovering from the latest attack to his person, pressed his thumb against a tiny panel built into the surface of each barnacle. The top of each opened up to reveal a tiny hole, just large enough for a needle to enter.

Danny held as still as he could, averting his eyes with a grimace as Bright Eyes inserted the needles into these spots, filling the hollow barnacles with liquid. With a quick twist of each barnacle, this was squeezed down the barbs and into Danny's body.

The teen blanched, gripping his parents' fingers with a wordless exclamation as pain bloomed through his core.

Each barnacle tightened briefly, bringing tears to the boy's eyes, before relinquishing their grips on Danny's skin and clattering to the floor. The barbs slid out of his body, joining the barnacles on the sticky grey linoleum. Danny scrubbed a hand against his eyes, feeling himself begin to shake as his parents released him.

"You need to be registered," the one with lighter eyes stated calmly. Danny glared at him and Maddie chose that moment to intervene.

"Jack's his hunter, I'm his scientist," she announced.

The operative crinkled his nose but gave a terse nod before latching onto Danny's wrist and pressing a needle to the vein. The halfa jerked and sent a hiss in the agent's general direction as Jack rubbed soothing circles into his spine. "He's just getting your ecto-signature, Danny-boy – nothing to worry about."

The ghost child shuddered. "I don't feel so hot."

The one with darker eyes and skin paused in cleaning up the barbs and shot his partner a look before getting to his feet, gloved hands hovering over the teen's shaking shoulders. "How long have you had your powers?" the man queried.

Danny struggled to answer without whimpering in pain. "'Bout three years now… About four months over, I think?"

Maddie snatched a spare vial from the case, depressing the plunger and allowing its contents to drip onto her outstretched fingers. She sniffed the substance before touching the tip of her tongue against the droplets, her face darkening as she rounded on the cowering Speckles and impassive Bright Eyes. "You had better explain right now!"

"We weren't aware that he was immature," Bright Eyes intoned, raising an eyebrow. The back of Maddie's throat instantly soured, her powers' indication that the man in front of her had just uttered a blatant lie.

Danny was shaking violently by then and doubled over, clutching at his sides. A cry wrenched free from his labouring chest, and the teen found himself lying curled on the floor, Jack crouched at his side and trying to get his attention.

Maddie watched in horror as the boy curled around his core, his gasping cries turning to pained shrieks. Speckles locked the briefcase with a snap, and the two agents turned and left the building before the huntress could hurt them further.


	5. Uninvited

The young halfa gasped weakly as pain dimmed his vision. His core, the very root of his power, was curling within him and growing warmer every second. Maddie's intangible hands slipped into his body and gripped the two ends of his core, pulling them taut in a bid to prevent the damaged organ from knotting itself and crippling her son. Danny felt his entire body go rigid and screamed bloody murder, his vision turning momentarily black. His parents were calling his name, but Danny didn't care – the world was slipping away from him.

...

"What's happening to him?"

Maddie briefly glanced at her husband before refocusing her attention on Danny. "The serum works in a couple of ways," she explained. "For mature halfas, their powers are harmlessly bound, and their core stabilised. It's used a lot if deep injuries need to be treated so that the core doesn't tear apart. Immature halfas react differently – the serum targets an undeveloped area of the core, using an untrained power to bind the halfa and inhibit their powers."

"What do you think it's going to target?"

Maddie took a deep breath through her nose, exhaling in a whoosh. "Danny's warming up really quickly. The other powers located in that particular area of his core are invisibility, shape shifting, and teleportation. Since he can use both invisibility and teleportation, I'd wager that he's going to shape shift."

Jack leaned forwards abruptly, gently pressing a hand to Danny's brow to gauge the temperature. "But won't he get stuck between forms?!"

"Most likely," she whispered.

"What was your totem again?"

Maddie shifted uncomfortably. "Dragons," she stated tersely.

Jack surprised her by giving a small chuckle. "Well, at least you don't trace back to a race of hydras. Imagine how mad Danny'd be if he grew more than one head!"

As if on cue, the teen arched his back with a whimper. Jack stroked the boy's brow gently, chewing on his lower lip. "We should have just talked to him at dinner," he whispered.

Maddie's shoulders slumped, her forearms trembling with the effort of holding Danny's core in place. "This is all our fault," she choked as tears slid down her cheeks. " _Why_ didn't I activate his core at the normal age?"

"Because we didn't want a four-year-old halfa having to find his place in this world," Jack responded. "Also, the Guys in White would have taken him from us and trained him as one of them. We didn't want that to be Danny's life, remember?"

Maddie sniffed, wiping her nose on her shoulder; Danny had stilled somewhat, his eyes half-open and fixed on his father's face, mouth working silently. "Are you saying that for me, or so Danny knows why we kept him in the dark?" the huntress queried.

"A bit of both," Jack confessed with a half-hearted shrug.

...

A handful of heartbeats passed and Danny screwed his eyes shut, sobbing as he arched his back again. His mother's hands still held the ends of his straining core tightly in place, and the teen felt like he was melting from the inside out. "Please, make it stop!" he screamed, straining against firm hands as Jack held him down.

"Danny?" His mother's voice was layered with worry, and the ghost child began to panic.

"I-I'm _melting!_ " he screeched, writhing in his parents' grasping hands.

Maddie finally released his core, moving to press against the very heart of it. Danny jerked, keening as the pressure within him built. Bursts of intense cold radiated from Maddie's fingers, washing through his body and chilling Danny's overheated core. The boy relaxed briefly, his eyelids fluttering shut as he sighed.

The loose ends of his core shifted, and the halfa bolted into a sitting position with a shriek as it coiled, bunching into a hard knot somewhere near the bottoms of his lungs. Maddie's hands were wrenched from his body by the movement, and Danny hunched over, eyes wide with terror. He let loose an inhuman scream, his entire body going rigid as tendrils of black emanated from the spot, wrapping around his shuddering form in a very familiar suit. His skin drained of all colour, white seeping into his hair and green into his eyes, and still Danny screamed, gloved fingers tearing at his diaphragm.

Glowing tears streamed down scarred cheeks, and Danny began to choke as his core unfurled, twisting around his internal organs and tightening viciously. His eyesight flickered, colours blending together until nothing existed but a blur of light and sound. " _MUM!_ " He was tearing apart, and Danny flinched as everything grew unbearably bright in a flash before dimming again. This was accompanied with a pain that was beyond anything he had ever felt before, like being shocked with the portal tenfold. It seemed to go on forever, ripping through his back as Danny collapsed, no longer able to move. After what felt like an eternity of muffled sound and agony, Danny finally slipped into darkness.

...

Maddie cursed her foolishness at letting go of Danny's core – she had barely managed to cool him down before it forced him into his ghost form, the boy screaming for all he was worth as he was dragged onto the spectral plane. He began to choke, grasping at his heaving chest before screeching her name, emerald eyes sightlessly searching for his parents.

"We're still here," Maddie promised, placing her hand against his shoulder. She pulled it away just as quickly, staring with horror at the blood and ectoplasm that was creeping across the back of Danny's infamous suit. "Jack, get some old towels to help with the bleeding!" she ordered as Danny's glow began to fluctuate. It grew brighter and then dimmer in a cycle, before going out completely in a flash like a light bulb blowing.

The boy collapsed like a doll, slumping to the floor in an unmoving heap.

Jack dumped the pile of towels on the floor next to them before reaching for the boy, wrestling Danny out of his blood soaked suit and the shirt that he wore underneath. The hero's back was covered in a sticky mixture of blood and ectoplasm, it source large patches of white scales shot through with lines of emerald like cracks along a rock. These scales rose to the surface rapidly, tearing through skin that fell away in bloody chunks. They quickly covered Danny's entire back in one unbroken sheet, breaking off into smaller patches that curved around his sides, down his upper arms, and below the hem of his boxers. Both parents used towels to gently rub as much of the chunks of flesh away as they could, and Maddie stilled as she realised that her son's muscles were tense, his limbs trembling ever so slightly.

"He's still conscious," she breathed in horror.

"You mean that he can _feel_ this?!" Jack exclaimed, his normally ruddy cheeks ashen.

The body on the floor twitched, the flesh tearing apart at the base of his spine. A long, whip-like tail took form, tipped with a half-spike and covered in the same white scales shot through with green. The wound caused by this new appendage bled profusely, and Maddie pressed a towel against it with trembling hands. Danny seemed to tense, the flesh on his back bulging before ripping apart in two vertical gashes from shoulder blades to hips on either side of the boy's spine. Wings almost the height of Danny himself tore free, spraying a chilled mixture of blood and ectoplasm across the room.

This time it was Jack's turn to faint, slumping unceremoniously over his son's body.

Maddie gritted her teeth and rolled Jack to the side with a grunt before returning her attention to Danny. It was obvious now that the boy was no longer conscious, much to the huntress' relief. With quick, gentle movements, she untangled his core from where it wrapped around his organs, settling it into its rightful position against the inner surface of his spine – it had constricted his organs in order to provide space for the new limbs to form.

She paused to appraise his injuries, her frown deepening – the sudden use of her powers after keeping them bound for over twenty years had taken its toll, and she had little strength remaining after the evening's excitement. She doubted that she would be able to heal the small surface wounds along with everything else, so Maddie ignored them in favour of healing the deep fissures in Danny's flesh that had been caused by the barbs. Danny's inner muscle had been sliced by those shafts of metal, along with his fragile core. Maddie called up what power she had remaining, mending any internal damage until all that was left were deep cuts that bled sluggishly.

Her strength spent to the point of exhaustion, the woman retrieved a specialised ghost hunting first aid kit from atop the fridge and stitched the fissures caused by the barnacles and Danny's transformation closed. This was a difficult task, as her hands trembled and the slashes down Danny's back were interrupted by delicate translucent membranes; these spanned the entire length of Danny's back and connecting the bat-like wings to the teen's spine. The job took over an hour, and with Jack still out for the count Maddie hauled the unconscious hybrid to the living room and placed him tenderly on his stomach on the couch, unable to face the stairs at the moment. She threw a blanket over him, sinking to the floor in exhaustion; her sleep was deep and utterly dreamless.


	6. Divulgent

Jack stirred, moaning as the Fenton Ghost Alarms began to wail. After a handful of seconds in which Maddie didn't turn them off Jack rolled to his feet, realising with a start that the entire kitchen was covered with specks of dried blood and ectoplasm. Semi-congealed pools of the stuff were at his feet, and several spots of his hazmat suit were damp with red and green. Stumbling to the switch, Jack gave a sigh as the blasted alarms fell silent.

He had fainted. Jack Fenton had fainted! Shaking his head incredulously, the hunter checked the Fenton Ghost Finder Version 7.3. A green dot blinked in the area of radar that represented the basement of their home, and this was confirmed by a glowing blue blur that whizzed up the stairs to careen past Jack and through the walls of the house with a muffled "BEWARE!"

Jack blinked, staring at the spot of wall that the spectre had phased through. The machine in his hand indicated that the ghost was moving rapidly towards the docks, and Jack seriously debated going to bed and letting somebody else deal with it. Then he chuckled wryly to himself. _Danny's so vigilant that it's made us lazy…_ Jack hadn't had to fight a ghost after bedtime for over a year now.

He shook his head again, clearing the fuzz of sleep from his brain. Snagging an ectogun from the kitchen counter, Jack moved to the living room. There he paused, his expression softening at the sight of his wife and son both still asleep. The hunter tiptoed past them, leaving the house and making his getaway in the GAV, cursing the fact that the drizzle from earlier had turned to heavy rain, causing a significant drop in temperature.

It was that damned Crate Creep. Jack stood unsteadily in the mud overlooking the docks, glaring at the spectre as it collected boxes from various warehouses. The hunter aimed and fired, missing spectacularly for the seventh time; the ghost completely ignored what it obviously didn't deem as a threat. Maybe this whole solo hunter gig was a bad idea – he was definitely better at inventing than fieldwork. Rain sheeted from the swollen thunderheads, lightning briefly cracking through the darkness.

Jack quietly cursed, shuddering as water trickled down his collar. He switched to the Jack'o'Nine Tails in the hope that it would be more efficient with a wider range when a flash of red swooped across the sky, faintly illuminated by the dock's crackling security lights. In seconds the offending ghost had been shot multiple times and Jack sucked it into the thermos with ease, taking a wary step back when the Red Huntress dropped altitude to hover directly in front of him. "What happened to you, Jack?!"

Realising that his entire front was spotted with Danny's blood and ectoplasm, Jack sighed. "Just had a rough night; none of this is mine." He gestured to his grisly covering helplessly.

"You look like crap."

"Feel like it, too," Jack muttered, wondering at the suddenly loquacious huntress – she had been avoiding Maddie and him since first appearing, so her suddenly friendly manner had the hunter rather confused.

"Haven't seen Phantom since yesterday."

Ah, that's why. "He'll be back soon, just got a bit beat up." Jack flinched as soon as he said it. The last thing anyone needed was a rather extreme huntress pursuing a weakened Danny – earlier in the week, the hunter had witnessed her shoot Phantom, and Danny had been limping for three days. "Why, you wanna shoot him again?" he demanded.

The woman on the hover board twirled her ectopistol. "He's a _ghost,_ " she emphasised, "it's not like it's illegal.

Jack couldn't stop himself. "Actually, it is."

The huntress landed, her hovercraft folding into the soles of her boots. "It's not illegal to hunt ghosts…" After a moment of pondering in which Jack stuttered and tried to form a coherent sentence she snapped her fingers, or tried to anyway; the effect was lost due to her metal gloves, and Jack fought back the irrational urge to laugh. "He's a hybrid!"

Jack spluttered. "Uh… Ma'am, I…"

"Jack, I know what a halfa is. Cut it out." The woman paced for a moment. "Danielle… is Phantom's clone."

"Who?" Jack asked stupidly.

The red-clad figure sighed. "Phantom was cloned by an evil halfa. His clone was half human, and decidedly not evil – she turned against her creator when he tried to torture and ultimately destroy Phantom. Why didn't I see it before?! For Danielle to be a halfa, Phantom must be one as well!"

Valerie continued to pace in silence for several breaths. "…Vlad," Jack growled.

Valerie froze. "You know about Mr Masters?" Jack raised and lowered one shoulder, preferring to remain silent. "Well, whatever. How do you know about halfas, anyway?"

Jack told himself to shut his gob and get out of there _now._ "I've worked with them in the past," he confessed.

The huntress tilted her helmeted head to one side. "I trust you, Jack. Keep him under a close watch while he's in your house."

Jack bristled. "How do you know Phantom's in my house?! And if you trusted me, you'd remove that stupid visor so I could see your face!"

"I picked up the signal of his ectosignature about four hours ago, but left it to you to deal with. And all in due time." She patted Jack's cheek in a condescending manner before activating her hover board. "Is he hurt?"

Jack nodded miserably. "Yeah, and it's my fault."

"I'm sure he'll forgive you – that guy always seems to be right as rain a couple of days after a beating. See you later." With a jaunty wave, the huntress took to the sky, shooting off in the direction of town.

...

Jack trudged into the house, dripping wet and furious with himself. The clock showed that it was a few minutes to five and the hunter shivered, grumbling as he hauled himself up the stairs and into the bathroom.

A hot shower and a pair of dry pyjamas later Jack ventured back down to the living room. The mess in the kitchen could be ignored for now, and definitely would be when Jack realised that both of his slumbering family members were in damp clothes and covered in green and red.

He dealt with Danny first, reasoning that the teen was in greater need of assistance than Maddie. Careful of his son's wounds, Jack stripped the boy and wiped off the blood with a warm cloth before dressing him in dry clothing, cutting slits in the pyjama shirt and pants to allow for Danny's new limbs. The couch was damp and filthy so Jack carried Danny upstairs and laid him on his stomach in bed, pulling the covers up and turning off the halfa's alarm clock and phone.

The man then tenderly attended to his wife. As he stripped off her outer layer Maddie stirred, opening bleary eyes. "Jack?"

He smiled softly. "Hey, Mads. You wanna hot shower?"

The huntress stretched before rubbing at her eyes. "Yeah, I'm freezing. What am I doing on the floor anyway?"

"Come shower, and we'll put you to bed."

Maddie's eyes shot open. "Danny!"

"I dealt with him first. He's dry and in bed."

"He's…" Maddie shakily got to her feet, stumbling towards the stairs.

"Whoa! C'mon, you're no use to anyone like this." Jack towed his shivering wife to the bathroom. "Shower. Dry Clothes. Bed."

"Danny-"

"If he wakes up I'll know about it, okay?" Jack reasoned that the teen would be in enough pain to make a bit of noise when he finally roused.

...

Danny woke with a start, his eyes opening and his breathing quickening without warning. He was lying on his stomach, an unusual position for the boy. Faint sunlight was illuminating his face, which puzzled the halfa further since the sun rose from the opposite side of the house from his window, and he usually got up before it was bright enough to reach through his curtains. Danny tilted his head, glancing at his clock. Ten past four. "Damn it!" the teen groaned, rolling onto his side in a bid to get up.

He screeched as his entire back seized up, feeling like it was going to tear apart. Falling back onto the bed, Danny managed to land on the afflicted areas and he rolled over, falling out of bed in the process. This elicited a pained cry from the young man, and he wriggled in the tangle of blankets, the searing pain growing worse with every movement. _What happened to me?!_

...

Jack yawned and stretched, turning to find Maddie watching him with lips curved into a lazy smile. "Whatimeisit?" the man slurred.

Maddie's smile widened. "About three in the afternoon."

"Mmmph." Jack plopped a kiss on the corner of his wife's mouth before swinging his feet out of bed. "Pancakes?"

Maddie joined him, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Sounds nice."

"I'll cook 'em," he offered.

"That'd be nice, too," Maddie chuckled, towing her husband towards the stairs. At Danny's door, she paused and cracked the door, checking that their son was still asleep. "We'll let him wake up himself?"

Jack nodded in response, leading her down the staircase.

The kitchen was a wreck. The green goop originally intended for the previous night's dinner had migrated to the floor in a gelatinous lump and was currently devouring the remains of Jack's hot chocolate near the bench, slurping contentedly. Green and red spotted the walls and ceiling, and lay in congealed puddles on the linoleum.

Jack wordlessly retrieved various Fenton Ghost Disinfectants whilst Maddie fetched gloves and cloths. The mess took about half an hour to clean, with the vicious soup goop exiled to the Ghost Zone. After giving the mercifully undamaged stovetop a rigorous scrub, Maddie stepped back and allowed Jack free reign of the kitchen. Thus, she watched his every move.

"Don't add that!" she cried.

"Why? We put this in everything to ghost-proof the food."

The woman covered her mouth, speaking through her fingers. "That's why Danny hasn't been eating properly. He's immature, and his body would react to anything ghost-proof which usually wouldn't affect a halfa!"

Jack replaced the lid on the glowing bottle. "I'll throw it out?"

Maddie nodded and opened her mouth to confirm vocally when several cries and a thump came from above their heads. Both parents raced up the stairs, bursting into Danny's room. He was on the floor, struggling amidst a tangle of blankets. He stilled upon their entry, looking up with green eyes dull with pain and panic. "Um… help?"

Jack chuckled, kneeling beside Danny and freeing him from the bedding. "Here you go."

Free, the teen tried to use his arms to push himself up off the floor but they gave way and he slammed back into the carpet with a yelp. Jack unceremoniously hauled Danny into his arms and the halfa coloured, directing his gaze to the ground with mumbled thanks.

...

Danny still felt like curling up and passing out from the pain and awkwardness when Jack placed him gently on a kitchen chair, tending to the stove. The white hair falling into his eyes clued Danny in to the fact that he was currently Phantom and he sighed, hunching sore shoulders in discomfort when he realised that he couldn't even summon up the rings. This did not go unnoticed by Maddie, who seated herself next to Danny and sent him a wan smile. "It was the portal, wasn't it?"

Danny nodded miserably. "I'm sorry, guys, I know I should have told you…"

"You were scared," Jack reasoned, turning to face his family.

The teen's shoulders crept closer to his ears, his face turning red as he nodded. Maddie moved to hug him, but at the last moment settled instead for ruffling his hair. Danny sighed. "What happened, exactly?" His voice shook slightly, and he leaned into his mother's gentle touch. The feel of her fingers toying with his hair was soothing, and he settled more comfortably into his seat.

Jack flipped the pancakes, sending Maddie a pleading glance. She nodded slightly and began to speak. "The stuff they injected to prevent your core from tearing apart is also used to supress one's powers. However, you happen to be immature." Danny quirked an eyebrow and Maddie smiled slightly as he began to relax.

"You mean I have another seven or so years until my core is fully integrated with the rest of my body?" It was Maddie's turn to raise an eyebrow and Danny chuckled, relaxing entirely. "One of the ancient ghosts is kind of like a mentor to me, and he's told me heaps of stuff."

This certainly piqued the huntress' interest but she refrained from pursuing the matter, choosing to remain on-topic. "Yes, your powers are not mature yet. So you reacted to the serum differently, binding one of your undeveloped powers-"

"And it chose shape shifting," Danny finished for her.

Jack squawked as he spilt pancake mix down the front of his pyjamas. After glancing sheepishly at his wife and son he scraped the goo off his clothes and into the bin before returning to the frying pan. Danny worked at chewing his lip, trying to figure out how to word his next questions. "How long… I can't change back. How long will I be in ghost form, and how long will I be like _this?_ " At the final word the halfa gestured helplessly to his new limbs.

"Once your core has settled again you'll be able to change back. That should be in a couple of days," Maddie mused. "No powers until then either. As for your second question…" she trailed off, raising one shoulder and lowering the other, her expression as helpless as her son's. "Definitely not until your core is mature."

"So, my tenth deathday?" The woman frowned at the panic radiating off her son.

"Thereabouts."

Danny turned white as Jack chimed in. "When _is_ your deathday anyway?"

"September twenty-third." The man bounded over to the calendar and flipped to the date, writing in block letters _Danny's Deathday._ He drew stars around it before flipping back to the correct month and returning to the stove; Danny raised his eyebrows at his Father's enthusiasm whilst Maddie chuckled. The teen started, glancing down at his tail which had automatically curled tightly around the leg of the table as his discomfort mounted. "M-mum?"

The huntress recognised the problem immediately. "It's fine, Danny – you're going to be like this for a while. Your Father and I honestly don't mind."

"This… this _transformation_ doesn't upset you?"

Maddie forced a smile. "Of course it does! But I'm not angry at you."

Jack chuckled. "I bet those idiots are regretting it now that you've punched them."

Maddie sighed. "I certainly hope they won't have the nerve to come back here."

"Why?" Danny frowned.

"Because then I'd break the law by using my powers to make sure they get the message."

Both men laughed, Danny breaking off in a gasp as his muscles began to spasm. Maddie shot him a look and he waved her off, still chuckling weakly. Jack quieted and cleared his throat. "Uhm, what's your deal with the Red Huntress?"

Danny shrugged. "I dunno, actually. She still shoots at me whenever I fly too close but she doesn't really _pursue_ me anymore. Why?"

Jack flinched. "I ran into her last night at the docks, after everything else. The Crate Creep –" he ignored Danny's snort – "was giving me a hard time and she lent a hand. I was covered in your blood and ectoplasm and she got a bit worried. Asked why I wasn't hunting you and I let slip that it was illegal… She kinda figured out that since _your female clone_ is a halfa than you must be too. She just doesn't know that Phantom is Fenton." He paused, scrunching up his face. "A clone, Danny? Was it Vlad's doing?"

Danny was white and shaking. "You told her what?! She… oh, no." He buried his face in his hands with a moan, kneading closed eyelids with the tips of his fingers.

The sound of the doorbell jolted him, and Danny jumped at the noise, falling hallway off his chair. "Danny, let us in – it's pouring!" Tucker's voice called, muffled by the heavy front door and the sound of the thunderstorm.


	7. Sanguine

Maddie answered the door, flushing when she recalled that she still wore her pyjamas. Two bedraggled teens stood on the doorstep, huddled beneath an umbrella. Sam was grim-lipped, Tucker wringing his hands nervously. Worry creased their features, and Maddie could only wonder at their level of distress – Danny's phone had only been off for about twelve hours, after all. "Is Danny here?" the young man asked, confirming the huntress' suspicions. "He's not answering his phone!"

Sam elbowed him in the ribs, and Maddie heard her murmur " _Smooth._ "

The woman sighed, opening her mouth to tell them that Danny wasn't well when her son called from the kitchen "Let them in, Mum!"

Sam needed no further invitation. She dropped the brolly and slipped past the huntress, shrieking her boyfriend's name. Tucker at least had the courtesy to wait until Maddie moved aside before rushing past, tracking water across the carpet and heading in the direction of Sam's unintelligible cries. Maddie followed, somewhat hesitantly.

Upon entering the kitchen, a strangle sound emanated from the geek at the sight of his best friend; Danny was currently caught in a painful-looking hug as Sam simultaneously attempted to express her upset over his condition and shield him from his parents. "Sam, it's okay," Danny gasped as she wrapped her arms tightly around his torso, trapping semi-folded wings awkwardly against his back. Tucker's face grew paler, his eyes roving over the ghost before him that for some reason sported three new limbs and _wasn't glowing._

Sam rounded on Danny's parents. "What have you _done_ to him?!"

"Nothing," Danny said with finality as Jack spluttered and managed to flip one of the pancakes onto the floor.

"What do you mean?" Tucker continued to wring his hands. "What happened, dude?"

Danny sighed, motioning for his friends to seat themselves. Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Maddie intervened, chiming in that Danny was currently in quite a bit of pain so it would probably be best if the girl _got off his lap_. Once the two guests were seated, Danny quietly recounted his activities since leaving school the previous afternoon. He rubbed the back of his neck often, tail leaving the table leg in favour of coiling around Sam's ankle. As the teen finished his narrative, Jack placed a heaped platter of pancakes in the middle of the table before fetching a chair from the lab so everyone could sit together.

Sam didn't touch the food that Maddie served her, choosing instead to grind her teeth and scuff her combat boots against the light grey linoleum. "So she knows, then."

Danny knew to whom she was referring. "Not that I'm Fenton."

"She'll figure it out!" the girl cried. "You know how smart she is!"

"We'll be careful." The halfa already looked exhausted, hunching in his seat and shuffling massive wings in discomfort.

"We're never careful," Tucker chimed in.

"Well we will be! I think that only having a handful of people find out in three or so years is being pretty careful when the secret's this big, Sam! And besides, the Red Huntress hasn't hunted me seriously for ages!"

The Goth stood so forcefully that her chair clattered to the floor, kicking her boyfriend's tail from her ankle. "Daniel James Fenton, you are an idiot." She left the house without another word, slamming the door in her wake.

Tucker whistled. "Ouch. Dude, I don't think I've seen her that mad since you forgot her birthday two years ago!"

Danny groaned. "Don't remind me." He observed the food in front of him for any glowing before digging in. Tucker chuckled and helped himself to the syrup Jack placed before him, Danny having cleaned his own plate already.

"So how long have you two known?" Maddie asked her son's friend as Danny reached for a second helping.

"Well – no, Tuck, that's nasty," Danny scolded. Tucker closed his mouth and resumed chewing without uttering a word. Danny blinked at this unexpected response and continued. "Sam and Tuck were there."

Jack frowned, syrup dripping from his chin. "You mean they were at the accident?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah, but they didn't go into the portal. Only I was stupid enough to do that."

"And so you three hunt together as a team? That's awesome! What do you call yourselves?!"

"Now, Jack," Maddie scolded, "it's dangerous –"

"Don't even start," the two boys said in unison.

Tucker continued. "Look, we _know_ the risks. But whether we fight or not, ghosts'll still target all three of us. It's better to be prepared, right?"

"True…" Maddie breathed.

"And besides, I hear that Team Phantom's becoming really well-known in the Ghost Zone," Tucker announced, puffing out his chest. "You could even say that they _fear_ –"

"Don't even think about finishing that," Danny growled.

Everybody laughed, the room settling into comfortable silence as Jack proceeded to stick his tongue out as far as it would go in the hope that he could lick the food off his face.

...

It was well into the night before Danny had figured out how to apologise. He paced his bedroom, the phone pressed against his ear. "Please pick up, pick up, pick up…" he begged as Sam's mobile rang. Voicemail was the only response. Danny tried to call again, only to achieve the same result. Resignedly, he called the Manson number, kicking the thermos across the room viciously.

"Hello?" Pamela answered crisply, her voice almost lost as lightning split the sky open, thunder rolling through the small room.

The halfa cringed. "Hi, erm, hello, Mrs Manson. It's Danny, er, Daniel Fenton."

It was as though she spat ice into his ear. "What do you want, Mr Fenton?"

"Is Sam, ah, Samantha ther-available?"

Her derisive snort had Danny biting his lip in order to hold back a smart retort. "I am afraid that my daughter is abed. Perhaps, if you called at a more decent hour, she would deign to speak with you. Or perhaps you should avoid upsetting her in the future; I do not appreciate it when one causes my Sammy distress."

_You distress her more often than anyone else, except the Box Ghost._ "Well, could you please tell her that I called, and that I'm genuinely sorry? It was an accident – I didn't mean to ups-" Pamela hung up.

Seething, Danny dialled Sam's mobile again, this time kicking the broken Ghost Gabber that peeked out from beneath his bed; it emitted a low-pitched whine, a drawn-out "Fear me" forced through cracked speakers. _Misplaced aggression indeed…_ Sam's phone went to voicemail before even ringing this time.

"Look, Sam, I didn't mean to upset you! Sure, Val's smart, but hopefully she won't find out that Fenton is Phantom… I mean… urgh, look, I'm going to be careful, I promise… I mean… Damn it, Sam, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay?! I'm an idiot and you can call me whatever name you want to and I deserve it but I want you to know that I'm sorry. You're the best person in my life, okay? Don't you get it?! I-" The phone beeped and Danny near about screamed in frustration.

He called the number again, hopping from foot to foot and continuing the voicemail as though uninterrupted. "I know that you don't want us to throw any _emotional_ terms around or use them lightly, but I –" Danny broke off with a strangled cry, swatting at a model spaceship that hung just a fraction too low from his ceiling. He paced momentarily before putting the phone back to his ear. "This is the longest, sappiest conversation I've ever had, one-sided or otherwise. I _love_ you, okay? Human or ghost, I love you. Just… think about it." He hung up before he could say anything else stupid, throwing himself face-first onto his unmade bed with a frustrated groan.

...

Valerie swooped through the sky, copying one of the loops that she had observed Phantom displaying the previous week. She wobbled a bit at the end but apart from that it was practically perfect. The huntress smirked, congratulating herself for learning how to fly better by observing one who flew naturally. Halfway through her next aerobatic Valerie's tracker beeped and flashed, indicating that she was within five hundred metres of a ghost.

FentonWorks was three doors down from where she hovered six feet above the street.

_You'll regret it, Val, curiosity killed the cat…_ Ignoring that thought, Valerie began to hone in on the signal. Besides, stupidity killed the cat – curiosity was framed.

Her flight led the teen to a second-story window of the Fentons' house. The curtains had not yet been drawn, giving Valerie an easy view of the agitated ghost standing with his back to her and talking on a phone. The huntress pressed her gloved fingers against the glass, delighted to find that it wasn't locked. She slid it soundlessly open a crack, listening to his frustrated words. "Well, could you please tell her that I called, and that I'm genuinely sorry? It was an accident – I didn't mean to ups-"

The boy stiffened, growling somewhat before kicking at something metallic on the floor. His tail slashed the air in agitation and Valerie frowned, shifting to get a better look at Phantom. Her eyes widened when she realised that he sported glittering white wings and a whip-like tail; what in the world happened to him?!

The ghost boy dialled a number, talking straight away. "Look, Sam, I didn't mean to upset you! Sure, Val's smart, but hopefully she won't find out that Fenton is Phantom…" Valerie nearly fell off her hoverboard. Surely she didn't hear that correctly – the rain on her metal helmet must be messing with her hearing. No, it couldn't be true. That would mean… _Oh, no..._

She had tried to _kill_ him.

Valerie Gray had attempted to murder one of her only friends more times than she could remember. The huntress shuddered, shaking her head slightly in an effort to clear it. That couldn't be Danny, but if it was, then he wouldn't mind answering a few questions.

Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the area. Valerie cringed, praying that Phantom didn't turn around at that moment. Fortunately he kept his back to her and continued to speak. "… the best person in my life, okay? Don't you get it?! I-" He broke off, jumping from foot to foot as he redialled. As he confessed his love for a girl whom Valerie suspected wasn't even listening the boy became even more worked up, kicking at items that littered the floor and swatting at model spaceships that hung from the ceiling from what looked to be bits of dental floss. After hanging up he threw himself onto the bed face-first, moaning.

Valerie chose that moment to level an ecto-gun at his head. "Okay, start talking, Phantom."

...

Danny started at the familiar voice, falling off the edge of the bed and hissing in pain. "V-V-Val?!" The halfa stared at the intruder in terror. "Y-you know, it's illegal t- to point that thing at me." He began to tremble, pressing himself back against the bedframe and hyperventilating. Valerie retracted her visor, worry etched across her face as she climbed through the window.

"Danny… Fenton?" The teen pressed himself harder against the bedframe, wishing for intangibility to suddenly overcome his body. He mentally cursed the GIW and their damned meddling before returning to the problem at hand. Valerie had knelt in front of him, grabbing his chin in her hand much like Jack had done the previous night. Danny continued to hyperventilate, closing his eyes and whimpering. It was this reaction that did it; Valerie softened, realising with a jolt exactly how scared he was of her. "Oh, Danny… I-I'm not going to hurt you." She retracted her suit entirely, silently pleading for him to open his eyes. "Look, suit's gone. Please talk to me!"

Danny's shaking grew worse and he pulled away from her touch, opening his eyes but refusing to meet hers. "Val, I-I-I-" He broke off, doubling over and giving in to his rapid breathing.

The huntress covered her mouth. "D-Danny, please… I'm not…" Tears sprang to her eyes and began to course down her cheeks. "I'm not a threat to you! You're scaring me, please breathe properly!"

The ghost boy continued to hyperventilate, but cupped his hands over his mouth in an effort to take in less oxygen. "V-Val…"

She knew what he needed. Valerie looked around the room frantically before noticing several large paper bags of rock candy on the desk. Tipping them out next to what looked like a couple of handwritten essays the young woman returned to Danny's side, pressing the first bag's opening over his mouth. Three bags had split and they were onto their fourth by the time Danny's breathing had calmed sufficiently, Valerie rubbing soothing circles into the back of his neck. She scratched at the scales there, eliciting a pleased sound from the halfa beside her. Valerie chuckled as Danny pressed back against her hand and coiled his tail around her waist. "Oh no, I'm not petting you like a cat, Daniel Fenton. Sam can do that once she hears your voicemails."

Danny started, pulling away and levelling green eyes at the intruder. She moved back slightly as his tail released her, feeling her confidence falter as he in turn shifted away from her by about a foot. "Val, I-I didn't mean it like that… Look, you're just a friend… I…" He swallowed, redirecting his gaze to the wheezing remains of the Ghost Gabber and rubbing at the nape of his neck.

Valerie began to laugh heartily. "Danny, I know! Calm down, alright? I just heard your entire confession. Your heart is Sam's, no questions asked. But you'd better explain all _this._ " She gestured to the teen as a whole. "Start with you being Phantom."

Danny got to his feet shakily and reached for the glass of water on his desk. Valerie calmly seated herself on the chair, leaving the young man to sit on the bed. He downed the water before speaking, his voice shaking but gradually growing stronger as he told her everything.

...

Valerie swore passionately. "Those damned agents!" When Danny gave no response she continued, "How are you going to hide this?! And oh gosh…" Her face softened. "I hurt you, didn't I?" Valerie stood, approaching Danny and pressing her thumb to his right eyebrow. Scars roped across his right cheek and down his throat, and a half dozen smaller ones criss-crossed lightly over his lips, chin, and other cheek. The biggest one travelled from where the teen's thumb was pressed, barely missing Danny's eye and stretching over the bridge of his nose and across his left cheek to the base of his left ear. She had caused that one. She remembered it clearly.

Danny flinched and pulled back. "Please don't."

His reaction was unexpected, but Valerie realised that it was understandable. _She_ had done this to him. Granted, the vast majority of scars would have been cause by ghosts and other hunters, but Valerie had still contributed. If the prominent scar on his face was anything to go by, she had definitely made a lasting impression. "Do the scars hurt?" she whispered.

To her horror, Danny gave a half-hearted shrug. "Well, I've got an ice core, so I'm really sensitive to weather changes. They ache whenever it's even a little bit cold, and the big ones hurt even more often, especially when I relive the event in my nightmares…" he trailed off, horror blooming across his features as her face crumpled. "Wait, no! I _chose_ this lifestyle, Val. Hey…" Panic laced his voice as he tenderly touched his fingers to her cheeks, wiping at the tears that streamed down them. " _Please_ don't cry!"

Valerie sniffed. "Why are you so _good?_ "

Danny puffed out his chest in a pose that he obviously thought looked heroic. "Because I'm Danny Phantom!" he announced in a fake voice. He relaxed again, his speech returning to normal. "But, seriously. It's not your fault, Val! Just please stop crying…"

Valerie sniffed, and Danny got up, plucking a tissue from the box that he kept on his desk. She accepted it with a watery smile, dabbing the moisture from her cheeks before giving her nose a cursory blow.

Danny smiled that damned cute smile of his, and the huntress felt her heart twist. "See? All better!" he announced, plopping himself back onto the bed. The movement must have hurt, because Danny sat up with a jolt, hissing and arching his back.

Valerie frowned. "Your back?"

The ghost boy grimaced, nodding as he rolled his shoulders. "It's really inflamed; Mum said that I've had to grow an extra layer of muscles all across my back, neck, and shoulders, and a couple more on the front as well for the wings to work. It _kills_."

"Maybe I can take a look?"

Danny shook his head a bit too quickly. "Nah, I'll be fine – it's not like you can do anything, anyway."

The huntress didn't miss his haste. He didn't trust her… Not completely. And she couldn't blame him.

Valerie sat beside the halfa on the unmade mess of blue blankets emblazoned with silver stars and clasped her hands in her lap, glancing at his bedside clock. "It's two in the morning. My Dad's going to be so pissed."

Danny quirked his mouth. "Could you do me a favour?" Valerie cocked her head and Danny glanced at her sidelong through his overlong, messy white hair. "I'm still powerless and have no clue how to use these wings. Fly me to Sam's, please?"


	8. Cicatrices

Danny decided that he hated hoverboards. Standing behind Valerie as she swooped through the storm he felt lost and a little bit freaked out without the weightlessness that usually enveloped his body. He mirrored her movements as best as he could to prevent overbalancing, but overall the halfa was decidedly uncomfortable. "G-go slower," he stuttered, fingers curled around her hips as he tried to find purchase on the metal suit.

Valerie chuckled. "You're seriously freaking out, aren't you?"

Danny mumbled incoherently, wrapping his arms and tail firmly around the girl's suited waist as she laughed and sped up. Lightning tore through the sky and Danny jumped, tightening his grasp as Valerie cackled wickedly. The trip to Sam's was wet but mercifully short, and the huntress hovered outside Sam's window. Danny moved to the windowsill, waving Valerie off with a whisper. "Go on, I don't think she'd be too thrilled to see you right now."

"Well how are you going to explain how you got up to her window?" Valerie hissed back.

"I climbed up the lattice," Danny muttered. Said lattice was covered in climbing white roses and had been Mrs. Manson's idea of redecorating all sides of the house except the front soon after Danny's accident, and Sam had taken to spray painting the ones outside her window black or purple in an attempt to annoy her mother. It sometimes worked a little too well, with Pamela Manson flying into a rage whenever she saw any type of paint on the premises. Grimacing, the halfa reached out and hung off the plant, his hands and feet immediately beginning to bleed from the thorns. "See?" He shifted to create a few more punctures, then moved back to the window. "Go on, get out of here."

Valerie shook her head, trying to hold in her laughter as she flew away. Boys could be so _stupid_ sometimes.

...

Sam woke to the sound of someone rapping on her window. She flipped on her bedside lamp and rolled over to face the glass, giving Danny her best glare. It softened when she realised that he was leaving streaks of red and green on her window – the powerless idiot must have climbed up the roses. Again.

Sam hauled herself out of bed and approached the glass, smirking at her dejected boyfriend. He crouched on the windowsill, white hair dripping into his eyes. Sam's smirk dissolved, and she sighed at the realisation that he had come in his pyjamas and barefooted. "You're an idiot," she stated as she opened the window.

"I know," he said softly, "but I couldn't very well visit you in daylight hours like _this._ " He gestured to himself and climbed into her room, tiptoeing to the adjacent bathroom and leaving water, blood, and ectoplasm in his wake. Sam sighed and wiped up the different drops before they could soak into the carpet. She followed Danny, handing him one of the many sets of clothes that he kept at her place in case of emergency. "Um, I'm going to need your help."

He couldn't even take off his pyjama top on his own.

Sam giggled at the halfa's predicament, cutting up his dry clothes in what she believed was a better method than what Jack had done. "There, now you just have to tie those bits at the bottom and your shirt will stay on." Danny complied, flushing. He allowed her to wrap his hands and feet in silence, and didn't speak until they were back in her room and sitting on her bed.

"Sam –"

"Sssh. I heard the voicemails."

Danny bowed his head. "If you're not ready for anything steady I –"

Grabbing his shoulders, Sam made him look at her. "Shut up, Daniel." She placed a light kiss on his forehead. "I don't just keep you around because you're funny." One on the tip of his nose. "Or because you're heroic." Right cheek. "Or even because you're damned sexy." Left cheek. "I keep you around because you are the person in this world that I love the most, so just shut up and kiss me back." She pressed her mouth against Danny's, hard. He complied to her wishes all too readily, wrapping his arms around Sam's petite form.

...

Sam concluded that since they were up, she may as well use the opportunity to help Danny with the calculus test he had failed. They worked comfortably, sitting side-by-side on the girl's queen-size bed with a banana split for Danny and tofu ice cream for Sam. Although the food was good and the tutor was dedicated, the hero found that he couldn't concentrate. It took about half an hour for him to work up the courage to tell her. "Um…"

"Yeah?"

"When I called you, you know how I mentioned that Fenton is Phantom?"

"Mmmmm?" They were taking a break to eat, and Sam had her arms wrapped around him as though he'd disappear at any moment.

"Val had come to check out the house after Dad's comments or something and she kind of… overheard…" Sam stiffened in his arms. "I didn't know she was there, Sam, I swear it! I even had a panic attack when I realised that she knew."

"And?" She pulled back to look at his face, and Danny realised that she wasn't angry. Sam was terrified, much like he had been.

"She's not hunting me anymore. I think she feels really guilty." He paused for a moment, crinkling his nose. "And she thought my confession to you was funny or something."

Sam snorted. "It's a girl thing."

"Riiiight." Danny curled up, much like a cat would. Valerie's comment about that particular animal came to his mind and the halfa wondered briefly if the alterations caused by shape shifting weren't just physical. His suspicions were confirmed a moment later when Sam began to scratch the scales halfway down Danny's back through his shirt. "Mmmph. Higher," he gasped. Sam moved her hand up, resting it on the back of Danny's neck. He shuddered and she began to scratch. Danny mewled, melting beneath her fingers. "Oh gosh, Sam…"

She began to laugh, brief chuckles turning to hysterics. Danny moaned and wriggled, helpless as she continued to scratch. He rolled on top of their maths work, the paper crinkling with an oddly satisfying sound as the boy squirmed. Sam changed the direction that her fingers were moving, so that they scraped in the opposite direction to what his scales grew.

The halfa moaned again, unconsciously wrapping his tail tightly around Sam's waist and arching his back to press against her hand. "Don't stop," he murmured, a sound akin to purring slipping past his lips. He flexed his wings, wriggling in delight as her fingernails played over the scales on the back of his neck.

Without so much as a polite knock, Sam's door flew open.

...

"A new pet, Sam?" her grandmother smirked from the doorway.

"Grandma," Sam gasped. She removed her fingers from Phantom's neck and he glanced up at the door, his giant pupils returning to their normal size.

The old woman's smirk became a grin. "Your hunters are looking for you, Phantom."

The ghost boy started, his tail tightening around Sam's waist. "What?"

"Calm down, I've known you were friends with Sam for years. Point is –" she threw the phone at Danny – "they're on there right now. Worried sick and waiting to talk to you." She quirked an eyebrow.

Danny flushed, fumbling for the phone. "H-hello? Hi, Muaaaddie. …Y-yeah. No, nothing's wrong. I'm at Sam's. …Well I couldn't walk around as a powerless Phantom during daylight! …Yeah. It'd be fantastic if you picked me up. …Okay, I'll meet you around the corner from Sam's place in about ten minutes. Thanks. 'Bye." He glanced frantically at Sam's grandmother.

"If not for my intervention the two idiots who think they run this place would have found out a long time ago and you'd most likely be under some sort of restraining order. And what were they thinking, calling this house?!"

Danny flinched. "Maddie said she called to see if _Phantom_ was here?"

"That she did. Tell her to be more careful, hm?" The woman levelled her intelligent eyes at him before shuffling off with a quiet "Goodnight, you two."

...

Maddie gave Danny an earful as soon as he got into the GAV. He flinched and waited for her to run out of steam before speaking. "I'm sorry, Mum, but it's complicated…"

"And _what_ is so complicated, young man?"

Danny sighed. "Vaaaathe Red Huntress found out that Fenton is Phantom." Maddie stilled and pulled over, her hands shaking. "I'm not in danger or anything, she's really a nice person."

"Not in danger?" Her entire body went rigid. "Not in danger?! Danny, she could kill you!"

"I know who she is under that mask," Danny countered. "She isn't a bad person, and I promise you she's not going to hunt me anymore."

"You know who she _is?!_ " Maddie shrieked.

The younger halfa nodded. "Yeah, I've known for years. She was really upset when she found out that I was a halfa and that we know each other's real identities socially. Like, we're friends in real life – have been for a long time now – but in our 'jobs' –" here he indented the air with his fingers – "we're trying to kill each other. And she finally sees how stupid it all is. Does that make sense?"

Maddie nodded slowly, her brow scrunched. "I guess so. Are you going to tell me who she is?"

Danny shook his head violently. "No way, that's her secret." He stilled, a frown taking shape. "Why did you call Sam's house?"

"Her mobile was off, as was yours, and you weren't at Tucker's."

Danny grabbed fistfuls of his hair. "Mum, if her parents find out that Phantom has anything to do with Sam they'll be furious!"

Maddie hung her head. "I know and I'm sorry. But you're to tell us where you're going if you sneak out!"

Danny huffed. "It's not like I'm in danger or anything."

"Walking the streets as a powerless Phantom?!"

"I _didn't,_ though! Val gave me a lift!" He covered his mouth, gasping. _Damn it!_

Maddie unplugged her seatbelt, shifting to better face her son. "Val? Do you mean the Red Huntress?"

Danny's eyes were wide and he scooted back, pressing himself against the RV passenger door. He spoke through splayed fingers, looking utterly horrified. "Pretend I never said that. It was stupid."

"Valerie," Maddie murmured. Her head shot up and she looked at her son in horror. "Your own ex-girlfriend hunted you?! A-and you were at school with her… She hurt you, didn't she?"

Danny ducked his head, silently admitting defeat. "Not too badly."

"Show me."

Danny sighed and wriggled out of his seat, proceeding to the space in the back of the RV where he could move easier. Maddie killed the engine and followed him, sitting on the lab table which folded out from the wall. Shelves crammed with weapons and dissection tools lined the area, and the huntress marvelled at the level of Danny's trust, to willingly stand defenceless in front of her in a ghost-proof vehicle full of items that could destroy him.

The younger halfa sighed and pulled at the ties Sam had fashioned from the hem of his shirt. The garment loosened and he found that it could be pulled over his head easily without having to manoeuvre his wings through cumbersome slits. Maddie raised an eyebrow and he chuckled, passing the shirt into her outstretched hand. "Sam figured it out – I couldn't undress myself the way Dad had done it."

"And _why_ were you undressing yourself, young man?"

Danny turned bright red. "Eeeeew, it's not _like_ that! My clothes were wet from the rain so she made me change!" Maddie's giggles quieted when she realised that he had wrapped his wings around to shield his exposed torso.

"Danny?"

"J-just give me a moment. I'll show you, but let me do it at my own pace." The woman nodded, her stomach twisting as she realised how bad it must be. She had caught a glimpse before and during the transformation, but the situations had been too stressful for her to take in much, and the boy had been covered in blood and ectoplasm by the end of it.

Danny took several deep breaths. "I'll start with the face." Maddie nodded to indicate that she was listening. "This –" he traced the small ones over his lips, chin, and cheek – "was caused when Skulker shot acid at me." Maddie started, realising that he wasn't just going to tell her what scars Valerie caused – Danny was going to tell her the lot. She really wasn't sure if she was ready for this.

...

The sky had cleared of clouds and the sun was beginning to rise by the time Danny had explained every scar that he thought his mother could see. Maddie had cried at points, but at his request didn't move from her seat until the child had finished and stood in front of her wearing nothing but boxers and a solemn expression. His body was a mat of scars, with no area greater than a square inch unscathed.

At least half of them had been caused by Maddie, Jack, and Valerie.

"Mum?" Maddie shook her head slightly, realising that she was staring at a ridge of skin in the shape of a Y that ran from the teen's collarbone to below his navel.

"What's that one?" she whispered.

"What?" Danny glanced down at his chest. He had explained all the ones to his mother caused within their current time stream as those were the only ones that people could see. The ghost boy smacked himself in the head, groaning. _Humans_ couldn't see the scars caused during his experiences in alternate time streams, but Danny had never considered the possibility that he'd allow a non-human to examine him and thus hadn't bothered asking Clockwork to help him hide the marks from all living things.

" _What's that scar?!_ " Maddie shrieked, getting to her feet and pressing a hand against it. Danny backed against the shelving behind him, trying to shield his body with his wings.

"Y-you really don't w-want to know," Danny stuttered. "Can w-we just go home now?"

" _ **Danny!**_ "

He shuddered, shifting his wings and allowing Maddie view of his chest once again. "Y-you know how I mentioned that one of the ancient ghosts is my mentor? Well, it's Clockwork." He paused to take a deep breath.

Maddie's legs suddenly refused to work properly and she stumbled backwards, collapsing back onto the table. Danny stayed where he was, shuffling his wings and looking at the floor as his tail coiled in discomfort. "H-he's gotten me out of some pretty big problems before, mostly in other time streams." His voice began to grow stronger as he realised that Maddie wasn't going to interrupt, and he rubbed at the back of his neck unconsciously. "Well, one time I was vivisected." He gestured to his torso, grimacing. "Clockwork fixed it all up and reversed time, but left me with the scar and memory. Another time –" he tilted back his head and traced a line that travelled from ear to ear beneath his jawbone – "this really evil future version of me named Dan slit my throat." He shrugged. "Most of the other scars from other time streams were caused when something really bad happened, usually when I ran into Dan."

Maddie's brain refused to function. "You… D-Danny…" she spluttered, before noting with a flicker of relief that his eyes were beginning to glow again.

"Hey, it's alright." He sat next to his mother, pulling her into a hug. "All scars now. Nothing to worry about. And Dan will never return either, he literally ceased to exist a while back. Just suddenly crumbled to dust, something to do with his possibility for existence being overcome."

"Who cut you up?" she whispered.

Danny tensed. "Ah… Just some scientists. Don't worry, I'm safe from them now."

"No, you're not."

He tensed. "What?"

It was the Guys in White, wasn't it?"

Danny slumped into her embrace. The word seemed to catch in his throat, and he swallowed before forcing it out. "Yeah."

"How far?"

Danny frowned at his mother's question. "You mean how deep did they get?" Maddie nodded. Sighing, he tightened his arms around her. "Not too deep. I was still alive when they were forced to stop. Now, can we please stop talking about this?"

The huntress pulled back from her son silently, allowing him to re-dress himself. She looked down at her shaking hands, clenching them into fists before feeling the cold fury seep out of her. Yes, someone had vivisected her baby. But she had inflicted scores of injuries on her boy's body over the years as well, some of them quite severe. Danny seated himself by her again, rubbing his temples. "Mum? I feel really dizzy all of a sudden…"

Maddie focused on her son and chuckled. A faint glow was coming from his body and when he looked at her his eyes were like little green lamps. "It's nothing to worry about, your core's just starting to settle."

Danny wriggled where he sat, gasping as a burst of intense cold whipped through his chest before dissipating. "Can we go home now?" he ground through gritted teeth.

Maddie nodded and led her son back to the shotgun seat, where he collapsed and laid his head back against the headrest covered in stickers of Jack's face, closing his eyes as his limbs twitched. Freezing pins and needles were spreading from the very tips of his limbs, travelling sluggishly towards his core and stinging as they went. He didn't even register that the vehicle was moving until they hit a pothole, jolting him. The stinging sensation diminished before returning at an even greater magnitude than before, causing the teen to yelp. Maddie glanced over at him worriedly. "It's alright, your body's just going back to normal. When we get home I'll get you something to eat and you can go to bed, okay?"

"Suit me up first," Danny murmured. "If I'm Phantom with any power whatsoever then I'm wearing the uniform."

Maddie rolled her eyes heavenward in exasperation. "You're not well enough yet."

Danny struggled to open his eyes and sit upright. "If I'm glowing, I wear the suit," he said with finality. The huntress sighed, turning into the driveway of FentonWorks. The sun had crested the horizon and as the streetlights flickered out so did the neon sign atop the Fentons' home.

Jazz's light green mini was in the driveway, and suitcases were visible through the back windows. Too many suitcases to all belong to the notoriously light-packing Jazmine Fenton. Maddie frowned, trying to remember if her daughter had mentioned a visit when they had spoken four days ago. Or was it five now?

Danny moaned at another wave of pain and shakily climbed out of the RV as his mother did, gratefully accepting her supporting arm when she offered. His fingers dug into the blue hazmat and his legs shook as the teen stumbled up the steps and into his home, wanting nothing more than to lie down and sleep.

...

His name was Jiremy and he had been dating Jazz for six months now. They had decided for their 'anniversary' to surprise the Fentons with a visit so that they could all become better acquainted. Actually, Jiremy, who liked to be called Jim, proudly announced that it was _his_ decision to make the trip a surprise.

Jack Fenton did not appreciate some 'paranormal philosophy' student dragging him out of bed at six fifteen in the morning to tell him this. Looking around for his wife or son, the orange-clad hunter forced a smile and offered to make breakfast.

"Where are Mum and Danny?" Jazz frowned as she set the table.

Jack sighed, realising that this could get messy. "Danny's at Sam's, and your Mother's gone to find Phantom." He crossed his fingers, hoping that Jazz would understand the message.

"Phantom? As in Danny Phantom?" Jim queried from his seat at the table.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, we have a truce with him, and he's not that well right now so we've been taking care of him."

"What's wrong?" Jazz gasped.

"Erm… He kinda got shot by the Guys in White and it damaged his core, causing shape shifting to malfunction." There was the unmistakable sound of the GAV pulling into the drive and Jack grinned, cracking eggs into the frypan. "That'll be them."

Jim sat up straight, flicking sandy bags cut in a similar style to Danny's out of mud-brown eyes. Jazz moved towards to kitchen door, giving her partner a wan smile as she tugged on the hem of her blue turtleneck jumper. There was the sound of the door opening and Jazz's fidgeting intensified. She seemed to be teetering on the brink of a decision and after a handful of seconds Maddie's voice came from the direction of the front door. "C'mon, there's a step there."

Jazz bolted out of the kitchen, throwing her arms around the pair. " _Ow!_ Jazz, geroff me!" Danny yelped.

"Nice to see you, too," the young woman replied, ruffling her brother's hair and pulling back. She froze, staring at the boy in front of her.

"What?" Danny muttered. "You've seen me like this plenty of times."

"But not like _that!_ " Jazz cried. "What happened to you?"

Danny shrugged. "Shape shifting gone wrong. I'm good now, or getting there anyway." He still had a death grip on Maddie's supporting arm and swayed on his feet. Jazz frowned and leant forwards to hear her brother's quiet words. "They know, okay?"

She smiled and whispered back, "I'm glad you told them."

Danny grinned shakily. "Me too."

...

Jack's face visibly brightened as they entered the kitchen. "Mads, Danny-boy! I'm making brekkie again!"

"At the proper time today," Danny chuckled, lowering his aching body into a chair with a grimace. A hand appeared in his peripheral vision and Danny turned in its direction, noticing for the first time a light-haired young man dressed smartly in jeans and a black shirt.

"It's an honour to meet you, Phantom. I'm Jiremy Hunter, Jim for short."

Danny shook the proffered hand, trying to hold in his laughter. "Well you obviously know who I am. Nice to meet you, Jim."

The man's face lit up as though he'd just been given a gift. "You're a hero, Phantom!" He released Danny's hand and scooted his chair closer to the halfa. "You're my idol!"

This time Danny did chuckle. "Quit the Phantom thing, okay? My name's Danny."

"Like Jazzy's brother?" Jim tilted his head, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Well, it's a common name!" the halfa countered.

"Whoa, no need to get defensive." The man held up his hands in surrender. "I know it's common, I just thought it'd be weird."

"It was at first," Jazz chimed in. "We thought that Danny here had stolen my brother's name and was copying his life. It turns out that they're just two very similar teenage boys." She turned to her brother, winking. "This is my boyfriend, it's our six month today."

"Congrats," Danny yawned. He was beginning to lose feeling at the tips of his fingers, and his head wouldn't stop spinning. The only thing that stopped the teen from heading upstairs to bed at that moment was the three plates heaped with French toast that Jack placed in the middle of the table.

...

Maddie watched with a furrowed brow as her son grew paler and quieter through the course of the meal. He shivered sporadically, and at one time turned intangible and fell through the chair. The huntress reasoned that as each power came back 'online', Danny's core would test it before moving on to the next one. This was confirmed when the ghost child yelled in pain, his body and eyes glowing bright blue as a blast of freezing air issuing forth to cover Jack, who was sitting across from him, in a dusting of ice crystals. Danny turned red and mumbled an apology as his father howled with laughter.

By the time breakfast was over Danny had turned invisible and found to his chagrin that he was stuck. Maddie reached towards where she thought he was, her fingers brushing the boy's shirt and latching onto his invisible shoulder. "That must be a damaged area of your core," she murmured. "I closed over the cuts caused by those barbs but it'll still be healing. And invisibility is located right next to shape shifting on our cores…"

"Great," Danny muttered, feeling unsettled as his mother looked straight through him. He was still shaking and wrapped his tail around her wrist, trying not to panic. "Why is everything malfunctioning?"

"As each of your powers becomes available for you to use again I think your core does a test run."

The huntress frowned as Danny's voice stuttered from in front of her. "Th-that's _so_ not good."

"Why?" Jim asked.

Danny sent him a glare before remembering that it was pointless. "Some of my powers are really destructive. I could hurt anyone who's near me, and cause damage to the house!"

"What powers, Sweetie?" Maddie rubbed his shoulder soothingly.

"Ectoblasts and my ghostly wail."

The huntress' eyes widened. "You have a _ghostly wail?!_ "

"Yeah," Danny muttered.

"Lab. Now." At the look in his mother's eyes, Danny didn't think it wise to argue.

...

Bright Eyes rubbed at his arthritic knee, glancing across the desk to his partner. All he wanted was to go home and sleep, instead of lounging around in some dank, underground records room without even a cup of coffee to keep warm. "Any luck?"

Speckles nodded slowly. "Yes, actually. It looks like we can use something _here._ " He passed a thick file across to the superior operative. "If they look too deeply, it's not going to work. But if we can just get the authorisation…" The man trailed off, tilting his face down to look at his partner over the rim of his sunglasses. "This time, Phantom could be ours."

Bright Eyes nodded, appraising the highlighted paragraph of text. "Yeeess," he mused, "I think we can make this work for us. After all, the higher-ups don't know that the boy isn't contaminated."

"We could get Spirit with this as well!"

A sound startled the two operatives, and they snapped to attention as their new superior entered the records room. "Gentlemen," he murmured, his voice containing the hint a gentle Russian burr, "didn't I say that you wouldn't be needing to get through red tape this time?"

"But –"

Speckles shut up as the man raised one manicured finger. "You want Phantom? Then, my friends, it's time to go ghost hunting."


	9. Convalescence

"Should we really be trusting your parents with Phantom down in the lab?" Jim asked.

Jazz shrugged, stacking the plates that he rinsed into the dishwasher. "There's no screaming yet," she muttered. "I don't think they mean him any harm."

Jim made a strange sound in his throat, scrubbing the frypan with a bit more force than necessary. "I used to see them on the news, back when everyone thought he was evil. They were _always_ trying to hurt him. Who's to say that they've changed?"

"Who's to say they haven't?" Jazz countered. "It's been years since my parents hurt Danny intentionally."

" _Intentionally._ So what, they shoot him and then just say that they were aiming for the ghost he was fighting?"

Jazz bristled, raising her voice. "Danny Phantom is in no more danger around my parents than he is with you or me!"

Jim sighed and ran a hand over his face, leaving suds in his eyebrows in the process. "Jazmine, I _want_ to trust your family, I really do. But Phan- _Danny_ is a ghost in a house full of ghost hunters. _Willingly_ being here. I don't understand why you're not worried."

"Trust goes in both directions," Jazz sighed. "You have to prove that you're trustworthy before they decide to tell you anything."

Jim perked up. "So you mean they _are_ going to tell me what's really going on?"

Jazz patted his cheek in a manner which could be considered condescending before moving towards the door. She halted just before leaving the kitchen. "I'll talk to Phantom about it. It's really not my secret, so I don't know if he'll be comfortable telling someone he doesn't know." The woman fished in her jeans pocket for her keys. "I'm going to duck down to the shops – forgot my toothbrush and a couple of other important things. You coming?"

Jim shot the closed steel door leading to the lab a sidelong look, pausing to memorise the yellow biohazard sticker situated at head height. "Nah, I think I'll stay here and grab a shower."

Jazz shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself. Come grab your bags."

...

Danny allowed his mother to tow his still-invisible body down the lab's metal stairs, her boots clunking against each step whilst his bandaged feet made no noise at all. Jack followed, shutting the door behind him with finality.

"Sit down," Maddie directed her son, leading him to the surgical table at one end of the gleaming white room. Danny did as he was asked, but didn't remove his tail from her wrist. Maddie smiled slightly. "It's okay, Danny, I have a ghost sense. I can tell you're there even if I can't see you."

Danny sighed but released her wrist, watching apprehensively as Maddie turned to one of the half dozen cabinets lining the lab and began to rummage through its bottom drawers. A burst of raw energy engulfed the ghost boy's body without warning, leaving him cringing and clutching at his chest as his core moved within him.

Jack chose this moment to come forwards with Danny's uniform, grinning like a lunatic. The teen frowned as his father laid out the hazmat suit, along with the black shirt and boxers which had been underneath. "I fixed them myself!" the man exclaimed. "Put them in the Fenton Ecto-Repairo –" here he pointed at a glowing washing machine beneath the stairs – "and any damage done by a ghost was fixed! Even the tears caused by your wings and tail!"

Danny raised an eyebrow, sighing when he remembered that nobody could see him. "That's impressive, Dad. Almost like a time machine…"

Jack flushed, mumbling that Danny was flattering him. Testing the waters, Danny plunged his hand through the table to check if intangibility truly had returned to him. The halfa grinned, reasoning that he was invisible so changing in front of his parents wouldn't be an issue. Phasing out of the clothes he was currently wearing, he dropped them on the floor before phasing into his suit. Jack had even cut slits into the back for his wings and tail and over locked them to boot. "Wow, thanks!" Danny exclaimed.

Jack smiled so widely that Danny wondered if his face might split open. "And you can just phase it on and off!" the orange-clad man practically sang.

Danny's laugher died down as Maddie pointed a gun towards him. "While you two are giving airs to Danny's _wonderful_ suit I'm going to see if this actually works."

Danny squawked, following his instincts and trying to leap into the air as she shot at him.

...

Danny yelped and tried to leap out of the way as the shot headed for his face, forgetting for a moment that he was currently as grounded as a human. Instead of hitting him the glowing bullet expanded, encasing the teen in a transparent floating orb big enough for him to stand up in. " _What the heck, Mum?_ " he cried, half-heartedly punching the walls of his confinement. It felt like some sort of rubber and flexed beneath the blow but displayed no damage.

Maddie dropped the gun and held up her hands in a placating manner. "You have a _wail,_ that goes through its test run you'll tear down the house. This should absorb it."

Danny sent her an invisible scowl. "You could have warned me - I tried to fly out of the way just then!"

Maddie chuckled before pressing her hand against the surface of the bubble, pushing it through the air to rest inside a large frame next to the twenty or so computer screens bolted to the wall. Danny glanced around him in panic as cords began to 'plug' into the bubble's surface. "What's it doing?" he gasped.

"Just reading your power levels," Maddie reassured, "you're not in any danger."

Danny's legs were shaking and he felt another blast of power rip through him, making him moan and sink to his knees. Maddie glanced at the computer at the pained sound, watching as the program plotted the fluctuation in energy. On another screen was a thermal image of her child, indicating that he was kneeling at the bottom of the bubble and clutching his chest. She turned back to the orb, but nothing was visible beyond its transparent surface. The boy should have returned to the visible spectrum by now… Crossing to the lab's bathroom, Maddie tore through the medicine cabinet, emerging with a triumphant shout.

"You seriously still have that?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Have what?" Danny queried, craning his neck to try and see the object in his mother's hands.

It looked to be a large black pencil case of some sort. Danny screwed up his nose but didn't rise from his knees, reasoning that it wasn't worth the effort if he was hit by another power wave. "And how's that going to help me?"

"This," Maddie unzipped the case, "contains the only items I brought with me when I left my clan." She laid the contents out on the bench in front of the monitors. Rifling through the pile of what looked like jewellery the halfa made a pleased sound and produced an even smaller case. She unzipped it, revealing a foam-packed syringe and several glass tubes full of glowing green liquid. She removed the needle and one of the tubes, loading the syringe and passing it to Jack. "You need to inject Danny with it," she told her husband.

"W-what?" Jack spluttered.

The huntress sighed. "It'll settle his core. Please, I can't pass through the bubble's membrane because I'm not human."

Jack wordlessly inverted the needle, tapping any air bubbles to the end and lightly thumbing the plunger in order to ease them out of the tip of the needle. Approaching the bubble, the hunter passed his hands though the membrane as if it were no more than a hologram. Danny extended one of his arms, using the other hand to guide his Father. The needle slipped beneath his skin and at the teen's quiet word Jack depressed the plunger.

Danny hissed at the fire that suddenly raced up his arm, removing the syringe and dropping it into his father's waiting hand. He hunched over, gasping and gripping his sides as his core constricted. After a handful of heartbeats Danny sighed in relief, the freezing strip within him condensing and settling into its rightful place.

Both of his parents whooped and Danny glanced down, grinning upon realising that he was finally visible. His grin disappeared as his strength did, and Danny slumped against the wall of the orb as his body teleported from one side of the confinement to the other. "Damn," he gasped when he stopped flickering, "that really drains you…"

...

Jiremy Hunter was not the sort of man to pry. Whilst he liked knowing what was going on, the philosophy student was not the type to steal diaries or slink around corners in an effort to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, when the man heard a gunshot and raised voices coming from the lab he realised that he couldn't stop himself.

Turning the handle of the steel door, Jim swung it back on oiled hinges, placing his bare foot on the first step of the twisting metal staircase. He would just go far enough to get a look – all he needed to do was make sure that Phantom was okay. A pained gasp reached Jim's ears and he flattened himself against the wall, inching around the curve until he could set eyes upon the gleaming lab.

He curled his hands into fists, horrified at his idol's current predicament. Phantom's flickering form was trapped within a giant bubble which reminded Jim of _The Wizard of Oz_. "Damn, that really drains you…" Phantom panted, and Jim watched in horror and Jack placed an empty syringe on the counter in front of what looked to be a wall of monitors. Phantom sent a weak smile in the direction of his hunters and Jim felt tears prick his eyes, righteous fury building in his chest as he witnessed his hero's obvious trust where none was deserved.

...

Danny smiled as his mother began to type frantically, directing a question her way. "Did it work?"

Maddie nodded, beaming at her son. "Yeah, your core is stabilising now, Sweetie. You'll be fine in less than an hour."

Jack laughed in delight. "This is great, Danny-boy!" He reached into the bubble and wrapped his arms around the teen's shoulders. "You're gonna be okay!"

Danny chuckled, his cheeks tinged pink. "Yeah, I already feel loads better. But Dad, do you think you could get out of the bubble? I don't want to wail on you by accident."

...

Jim was preparing to make a frontal assault on the two hunters when Jack reached into the orb and _hugged_ the ghost boy. Phantom began to laugh quietly, and the man hiding on the stairs was floored by what the teen called Jack. There had to be some other explanation. Something wasn't right here – Jazz's brother was most definitely alive according to her accounts!

Jack mentioned the words 'kitchen' and 'back in a moment' and Jim knew that it was time to get out of there. He backpedalled up the stairs silently, closing the lab door behind him without a sound and flopping onto the couch. Sitting up as footsteps sounded on the metal stairs that he had just vacated, Jim rummaged through his bags and started to pull out several items of clothing.

Jack emerged from the lab, sending the guest an unsettling grin. "So, Jim m'boy, how are you going?"

Jim winced at the abrasive shout before answering in a quiet tone in the hope that Jazz's father would get the message. "I'm good, I was actually about to have a shower."

"That's a great idea!" Jack bellowed as he stepped through to the kitchen, and Jim flinched as though he'd been struck.

"H-how's it going down there?" the younger man stuttered.

"Great!" Jack bounded back into the room with a large platter in his hand covered in small brown chunks. He offered it to the bewildered guest. "Fudge?"

After being coerced into consuming half of the platter, Jim felt as though he was going to leak sickly sweet fudge from his orifices for days to come. Jack nattered on about ghosts, oblivious to the man's discomfort; it was nearly an hour before the student could escape to the shower. Jiremy refused to leave the bathroom until Jazz returned home and employed threats and bribery in order to convince him to emerge.

...

When Danny wailed the probes reading his power levels let loose a high-pitched whine, igniting in a flare of orange heat. He calmly waited for the final screams to tear from his throat before dousing the flames with bursts of snow. Maddie watched the process in silence, her hand poised to intervene with her own powers if necessary.

The teen floated in the middle of the orb, the tip of his nose pinched between thumb and forefinger. "That smalls so _bad!_ " he spluttered, bobbing slightly in the air. The huntress chuckled, lowering her hand and turning to the computer. There was no data beyond the first second or so of Danny's wail and Maddie raised an eyebrow, glancing back at her son as he pretended to asphyxiate due to the smell of burning rubber and superheated metal.

The wail had obviously weakened him, but Maddie was sighed, relaxing when he didn't pass out – she didn't know if she would be able to hold herself together if Danny fainted now. They were _so close_ to fixing this and the huntress felt an almost palpable relief wash over her; Danny was actually going to be okay. She could live with the crushing guilt of her past actions so long as she fixed this predicament. All of his problems looped back onto the huntress. It was all her fault – she should have just confronted Danny as soon as she learned that he was a halfa. Then he wouldn't have been shot…

Maddie shook her head slightly, trying to clear it of such thoughts. Danny didn't blame her, so she would try not to blame herself.

"So you said that now it's just your ghost sense to go?" she asked the floating teen.

Danny nodded and grinned. "But I need a ghost to set it off."

The woman smiled slyly, allowing her eyes to flash bright green. "I think we can handle that." Maddie then frowned in concentration and bowed her head, feeling within herself for the freezing core which she hadn't triggered for over two decades. After several seconds she found it and nudged the spot with her mind, allowing it to expand. Shivers of delight rippled through her body and for the first time since she had begun to work with the GIW a ring of light snapped into place around the woman's waist, splitting and travelling in either direction. She allowed a smile to creep over her lips as the transformation took place, revelling in the weightlessness that stole over her limbs.

...

Danny watched in fascination as a ring of light appeared around his mother's waist and split, one ring travelling towards the ceiling and the other being pulled to the ground. As they flicked out of existence the teen found himself staring at the halfa before him, unconsciously pressing his fingers against the bubble's iridescent surface.

Maddie floated about a foot off the floor, and the first things that struck Danny were her snow-white hair and bright green eyes, so much like his own. The woman flushed and kept her gaze towards the floor, feeling like she was suddenly exposed.

"M-mum…" Maddie's head shot up as Danny stuttered. "You look like _me_."

"Well you had to inherit your ghostly traits from _someone,_ " the woman explained with a soft smile. "Since you only got your halfa genes from me, you have the same characteristics such as hair colour, eye colour, and powers."

Danny nodded slowly before voicing his question. "I got my ice powers from you?"

It was Maddie's turn to nod. "You got _all_ your powers from me, Sweetie. Your strengths and weaknesses are different, but every one of your powers comes from me."

The teen's mouth curved into a grin. " _What_ are you _wearing?_ "

Maddie's face turned bright red and she looked down at her body. "What's wrong with it?"

Danny shrugged, appraising the flowing green shirt, black pants, and black-and-green boots. "Nothing. It's just that I never really see you in anything besides pyjamas and hazmat." He bobbed for a moment before shooting his mother a hopeful glance. "Wail and ectoblasts are done. Can I get out of this thing now?"

Maddie chuckled. "Are you sure that it's only your ghost sense left?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Yep, I think I know my own powers."

The woman frowned. "What about telepathy and healing?"

"I think healing kicked in a while ago, if my back is any indicator. Also, what makes you think that I can use telepathy?"

Maddie looked up from fiddling with the settings on the gun that she had previously used to trap her son. "Danny, it's a basic power! What do you mean you can't use it?!" Her voice had an edge of panic to it that would have unsettled Danny if not for his current frustration.

"Well it's not like I was coached or anything!" the younger halfa shot back. "I had to learn and discover everything thus far _by myself_ , with the only exception being Frostbite helping me when I nearly froze to death because I couldn't use my ice powers! It's hard, okay? I can take up to four months to learn the basics of a power on my own, and often have to bribe Ghost Writer with chocolate so that he'll lend me books on the subject!"

The teen abruptly stopped ranting as a freezing wave constricted his chest, forcing a curl of icy breath through his lips. The sudden _awareness_ of his mother's presence settled over the halfa's mind, and he felt a bright, cold light engulf his mental state. "Well, that's ghost sense back up and running."

Maddie stared at him, feeling her mind come to a halt. "You almost died?"

Danny head snapped up and he crinkled his brow before saying something incredibly stupid. "I almost die on at least a monthly basis, and for the first year or so as Phantom I counted myself lucky to survive each week."

" _What?!_ " The shout came from two directions, and Danny glanced towards the stairs where his father had just re-entered the lab. Maddie pressed her hand over trembling lips, feeling a sick sort of realisation bloom in her chest.

Jack frowned and approached his son. "Danny-boy? What do you mean?"

"The scars!" Maddie just about shrieked. "How many of those alternate time stream injuries resulted in your death?"

The ghost boy shrugged, trying to hide the fact that he was beginning to shake slightly. "Most of them." At Maddie's horrified expression he quickly continued, "B-but there aren't too many of them, most of the time my near-death experiences happened in this time stream. Remember, Skulker used to beat the crap out of me whenever we fought." _Shut up, Fenton, you're just digging yourself into a deeper hole!_

"But so did we…" Jack murmured, frowning and looking at his own gloved hands. The man froze, fixing terrified eyes on his son's trembling form. "No… We… I-I _killed_ you?"

Danny forced a smile. "What are you talking ab-"

"I killed you before, didn't I?" Jack shouted. "All those weapons, a-and the times I shot you out of the sky. _How many of those killed you?_ "

"Jack…" Maddie murmured.

"How do you know _any_ of them killed me?!" Danny shouted back, hitting his fists against the orb. "Get me out of this thing!" He hovered there, clenched fists pressed against the surface and shoulders shaking.

"Oh, Danny-boy…" Jack exhaled in a sigh, leaning into the bubble and tugging on his floating son's white boot. Danny slumped to the bottom of his confinement, looking at his father with bright green eyes that swam with tears. Understanding his boy's unspoken plea, Jack enfolded Danny in his arms, stroking shining white hair as sobs tore from his child's thin frame. "How many times?" Jack asked his son quietly.

Both parents felt their own eyes fill as Danny wailed his answer into Jack's shoulder. "I-I don't know, I l-lost count!"

Maddie found herself remembering all of the times she had _almost_ destroyed Phantom, all the times that he had _just_ managed to skip out of the way of a blast or escape a net. _How many of those were second chances given to him by Clockwork?_

She glanced down at the gun that she still clasped loosely. Hands shaking with the effort of holding herself together, the huntress continued to fiddle with the gun's settings, re-calibrating it. She pointed it towards the glowing bubble and fired. Instead of shooting a bullet the gun sucked the membrane of the bubble back into its barrel, a similitude of the Fenton Thermos capturing ghosts.

If it weren't for Jack's supporting hug Danny would have fallen to the floor. He raised his head slightly from his father's shoulder, levelling puffy eyes at Maddie. That look was all she needed – the woman stepped forwards and snaked trembling arms around her two boys, pressing her tears into Jack's unoccupied shoulder.

They stayed like that even after Danny's battered body finally reverted to his human form.


	10. Prevarication

_Danny swooped lazily through the sky, testing a new manoeuvre. The ghost boy was still relatively new to the concept of using natural updraughts to lift his spectral form; he often found himself phasing through his surroundings in order to prevent crash landing._

_As he passed through the immaculate – and obviously fake – turf of Amity Park's council gardens, the halfa shivered violently. A wisp of icy breath squeezed from his chest, slipping through his lips with a groan. Riding from the ground, Danny grumbled ill-humouredly, charging an ectoblast in preparation for what was to come._

_Plasmius hovered almost directly in front of the exasperated halfa, chuckling darkly as the boy readied himself for battle. "Have you reconsidered?" the elder queried, making no move to mirror the teen's violent pose._

_Danny shifted, pouring power into the blast in his hand until it glowed green-white with energy. "You're one seriously crazed-up fruitloop, you know that? I'm_ not _going to disown my father!"_

" _I am_ not _a fruitloop!" Vlad growled, his hand balling into fists and finally gathering pink energy into twin ectoblasts. Danny ducked just in time, throwing his own emerald shot towards the man…_

_The scene blurred, twisting into a blur of white and grey before clearing to reveal the Fentons' lab. Danny blinked in confusion, but didn't relax out of his fighting stance – he could still sense the intruding halfa nearby._

_The boy whirled, biting his lip at the sight of his mother. Maddie's hands were steady, but she didn't speak; the woman merely pointed an ectogun at her own son's head._

_Vlad appeared behind her._

_Danny's eyes widened and he reached out, trying to shout a warning as the scene melted again._

_This time he was in Vlad's Wisconsin mansion._

_Danny clenched and unclenched his fists, phasing through the floor until he reached the hidden lab. He had had enough of this!_

_The boy cried out at the sight that met him – Jack was chained to a chair in the middle of the room, and Plasmius viciously backhanded the hunter across the face. The orange-clad man made no sound, blood and saliva sliding from between split lips to dribble onto the hazmat. The man glared at his son through swollen, bruised eyes, their depths glittering with fury._

_Vlad turned, bowing low to the younger halfa. "Ah, Master," Plasmius simpered, "I trust you slept well?"_

" _What are you playing at, Vlad?!" Danny cried._

_Before he could attack the monster before him, Danny froze at the chilling whine of a charging ectogun. Something cold pressed against the back of his head. "You're behind this?" Maddie whispered from just beyond his left ear._

_Danny slowly placed his hands flat against the small of his back, hoping to placate her with the non-threatening gesture. "N-no, this is_ his _doing," Phantom spluttered, jerking his head in the direction of Vlad._

_Maddie pressed the gun harder into his scalp at the movement, tightening her finger on the trigger ever so slightly. "He's calling you his_ master _."_

_Danny licked his lips. "It's a trick, Maddie. He wants to make me look like the bad guy!"_

_Vlad chose that moment to smirk, bowing to Danny. "I shall continue my work now, Master." Turning back to the imprisoned hunter, Vlad punched him square in the face with a sickening crunch. Jack yelped before swallowing any additional cries, and Danny felt a wave of helpless fury engulf him._

_The gun jammed into the back of his head with a force strong enough to bruise. "And you still say you're not the bad guy?" his mother hissed._

" _No, he's set me up!"_

" _Liar," the huntress whispered. "You're all liars."_

" _No, please! I-I…" She wouldn't_ actually _shoot him, right?_

" _Have you ever lied to me?" she hissed. Danny remained silent, and the woman repeated the question, louder this time._

_He gave a heavy sigh._ Surely _she wouldn't shoot him… "Not like this. Yes, I lied, but not ever to hurt you."_

_The huntress glared towards Jack as his tormentor backed towards a nearby table, pondering over the selection of knives._

"Dad, duck! _" Danny screamed, losing all composure and leaping forwards, readying an ectoblast to hurl at Vlad._

_Maddie started at the sudden movement and slammed her finger into the trigger, jolting as the ghost's oddly familiar shout registered in her brain._

_The last thing Danny saw was Vlad pulling Jack's head back by a fistful of hair, positioning the knife to give the hunter a Glasgow grin._

_The blast connected with its intended target. Death engulfed the child, leaving Danny alone and lying on cool flagstones…_

Danny bolted upright in bed with a scream, tears streaming down his cheeks. Throwing the covers off, he stumbled to the window, phasing his head and shoulders through the glass to gulp at the chilly night air. His fingers gripped the windowsill back inside the room, and the teen hung his head, giving in to the terror of that particular memory.

...

Maddie, woken by her son's distressed screams, entered the room to find him with his head phased through the window, his frame shaking violently with sobs. His tail coiled agitatedly through the air before settling around the teen's waist tightly in a bid to comfort himself. Maddie didn't turn on the light, instead summoning a small ectoblast and allowing it to float towards the ceiling and hover there, providing illumination without the harshness and abrasive quality that the light bulb produced at such early hours of the morning.

Gently grasping Danny's shaking shoulders, Maddie pulled him back through the glass, wrapping her arms around the distressed halfa. Danny stiffened before melting into her embrace, burying huge, gulping sobs in his mother's shoulder. Maddie towed him slowly to the bed and sat, tugging him to sit beside her as she held him. Once Danny's cries had quieted she asked her question. "Was it a nightmare?"

Danny's reply was muffled, as his face pressed against her shoulder. "Just a bad memory."

"A frightening one?" the mother whispered, tightening her arms around his shoulders.

Danny sat up to look into her face. "I-it happened a long time ago."

Maddie stroked his soft black hair and Danny coiled his tail around her ankle. "Even if it happened a long time ago it still scares you."

The ghost boy shrugged. "When I dream of my memories, it's like I'm experiencing them for the first time again."

"And what memory was this one?"

He briefly debated lying, but one look at Maddie's face prompted Danny to tell her the truth. "It was the first time you killed me." The woman's sharp intake of breath sounded painful and Danny faltered for a moment. "It… I… My dreams are different every night. Whenever I have a nightmare it's from a different bad memory, or one of my fears. A couple of nights ago I dreamed that I was in the portal again."

Maddie drew her child closer, continuing to stroke his hair as his tears slowly ceased. Danny took a shuddering breath before pulling away from his mother's grasp and looking towards the small green light. He quirked an eyebrow at Maddie and the woman grinned. "I can teach you all sorts of stuff, Sweetie."

"Really?" Danny asked, his quiet voice still slightly choked with the tears of the past twenty minutes.

Maddie nodded and rubbed the strip of scales between Danny's wings. "Really." She gently guided the boy to lie back down, her fingers trailing over the black scales shot through with a blue that was almost electric. "Go back to sleep, Sweetie. I promise that you're going to be alright."

As the huntress paused at the door to extinguish her little green light Danny started to snore slightly, already fast asleep.

...

Jiremy was trying to make breakfast. Danny entered the kitchen and sat at the table, watching the process with amusement. His wings and tail were invisible and intangible, and extensive illusions had been put in place to hide the teen's scars and the scales along the back of his neck and arms. He didn't bother with the ones on his back, reasoning that with a note from his parents exempting him from sport due to healing injury nobody was going to see that particular area.

Danny bit back a chuckle as Jim produced a slice of toast as black as the halfa's hair. "Maybe you should change the setting on the toaster?"

Jim turned to face the teen and cocked an eyebrow. "And you are?"

"Danny Fenton. I _live_ here. Now who are you?" The man shook sandy bangs out of his eyes and wiped his hands on the ectoplasm-stained apron which he had found beneath the sink. Then he did a double-take. The young man with midnight hair and deep blue eyes blinked, looking down at his shirt to check for toothpaste before glancing back up at the guest quizzically. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Phantom?" Jiremy breathed.

Danny tensed. _Keep calm, there's no way he could know._ "Fenton," he stated firmly. "I'm Jazz's little brother. I assume you're her boyfriend?"

Jiremy spluttered. "Y-you look like-"

"Phantom, I know. But you have the same hairstyle as well, Jim."

"How-?"

"Jazz talks about you when she calls. From her descriptions I guess you're him?"

Jim nodded, abandoning the toaster in favour of presenting his hand to Danny. "You guessed right."

Danny shook it, struggling to keep a straight face. He was saved from having to think of something to say when the ghost alarms went off as his chest constricted. Turning his head to the side as Jiremy jumped and stared at the wailing ceiling, Danny breathed out the freezing blue air which had accumulated in his lungs. Jim pressed his hands over his ears, scrunching his forehead.

Feeling for the direction of the freezing sensation, Danny realised that the ghost was in the lab and approaching fast. He didn't have time to so much as move before a blur of blue light burst into the kitchen and announced its presence at the top of its voice. "BEWARE, FOR I AM THE BOX GHOST, MASTER OF ALL THINGS CUBIC AND CARDBOARD!" At the announcement Jiremy screamed and dived beneath the table.

Danny rolled his eyes and relaxed into his seat. "You forgot bubble wrap."

The spectre blinked at Danny for a moment. "Yes, erm, I am ALSO MASTER OF THE OBNOXIOUSNESS THAT IS BUBBLE WRAP AND SHALL NEVER BE CONTAINED BY YOUR METALLIC CYLINDER OF DOOM!"

Danny raised an eyebrow at the glowing finger pointed in his direction. "Are you stupid?" he asked.

The invader bobbed in the air and tilted his head to one side. "Why would you think that I, THE BOX GHOST, am stupid? BEWARE, FOR-"

Danny waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, yeah. You'll subdue me with the soggy cardboard boxes of _doom,_ I get it. But you're forgetting something."

"And what it that?" the ghost queried.

Danny smirked. "You're attacking a ghost hunter in a house _full_ of ghost hunters. So if I were you I'd hightail it back to the Ghost Zone, Boxy."

"NOT UNTIL YOU RELEASE MY TRUE LOVE FROM YOUR METALLIC CYLINDER OF DOOM!"

Jiremy risked peeking out from beneath the checked tablecloth stained with splotches of green. He watched in astonishment as Danny began to _laugh_ in the ghost's face before standing to approach the bench. "If that's all you're here for…"

The ghost bristled. "I, THE BOX GHOST, am not stupid enough to challenge a mighty halfa such as yourself."

"Suuuuure." Danny opened a drawer which contained several bits and pieces, including scissors, pens, rubber bands and ectoguns. "So why'd you come to fight Phantom down at the docks a couple of nights ago?" He deliberately used the name of his alter-ego, praying that everything would fit smoothly with the cover story the Fenton family had devised the previous night while Jim drove into town to pick up dinner.

"That was not challenging you, that was amassing my cardboard army of DOOM!" The overall-wearing ghost cocked his head. "It's my obsession. Surely a half-breed such as you would have an obsession?"

The Box Ghost didn't notice Danny give Jim a nervous glance before returning to the drawer, and the halfa managed to stutter an answer before his uninvited guest could spill the beans entirely. "I-I'm not aware of an obsession."

"Hm," the ghost mused, spinning in slow airborne circles. Danny finally produced the thermos from the depths of the drawer, checking its contents on the meter built in to the side. Only one ghost, and a low-key one at that. Before he could depress the release button, Boxy snapped his fingers. "Your obsession is to protect, right?!" he crowed.

Danny froze. "W-what?"

"It makes sense!" The ghost's circling ceased and he grinned, spreading his arms wide. "You died trying to help your parents hunt ghosts, which means you died trying to protect this town! Your obsession is to protect! And, to top it all off, you're a _haunting_ ghost! I, THE BOX GHOST, AM A GENIUS!"

Danny's fingers finally started to work again and he sucked the offending spirit into the thermos before risking a glance at the cowering philosophy student as the alarms fell silent.

To say that Jiremy was in shock would be an understatement. The guest crouched on the linoleum, his legs shaking too much for him to stand upright, his breathing erratic and strained. Danny sighed and leaned down, offering the man a supporting hand. Jiremy appraised it for several seconds before taking it, allowing Danny to haul him to his feet. He shakily sat in a chair and Danny proceeded to the toaster, dropping the thermos on the table. "Two slices?" the halfa cheerily asked. _Think, Fenton, what was the backup story again?!_

Jim nodded slightly, watching through glazed eyes as Danny re-set the toaster and plopped in two pieces of wholemeal bread. He turned away, sitting opposite Jazz's boyfriend. "You're half ghost?" the guest breathed.

Danny shook his head. "Nah," he said casually, leaning back as though this was an everyday conversation. "Boxy always confuses me with Dantè, and I play along because it's funny."

Jim blinked. "Who?"

Danny rubbed the nape of his neck. "Hasn't Jazz told you about Dantè?" At the expected headshake the halfa continued. "Yeah, she doesn't like to talk about it; neither do the rest of us for that matter. He was my twin brother, but died a few years ago when a ghost attacked. Phantom's his ghost…" Danny scrubbed his eyes with a fist, trying to make it seem like he was upset. "H-he hangs around here and beats up all the evil ghosts, and since I'm Daniel and he's Dantè some of the first ghosts he fought got a bit confused. One of them came up with the ridiculous idea that since we look the same we're somehow the same person and so all the ghosts now think that there was only ever Daniel Fenton and that I'm half ghost. It's kind of funny actually…"

As if on cue Maddie entered the room. "Good morning, Danny, Jiremy."

Danny tilted his head back to look at her. "Hi, Mum, I was just telling Jim about Dantè. He heard the Box Ghost call me a half-breed…"

Maddie smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Jiremy looked between the two Fentons, jumping as his toast popped. He attended to buttering the golden bread as he voiced his next question. "Isn't it confusing to call both Daniel and Dantè 'Danny'?"

Maddie shrugged. "Even Jack had difficulty telling them apart – I was the only one who really knew who was who at any given time – so everyone just called both boys Danny."

Danny smirked as Jim frowned into his now-cold cup of coffee. "So… If Dantè died fighting ghosts… Then his obsession really _is_ to protect?"

Maddie raised an eyebrow. "And what gave you that idea?" she demanded.

Danny moaned and cradled his head in his hands. "Just another one of Boxy's stupid ideas. He also think's Phantom's a haunter."

"Well he is, isn't he?" Maddie murmured.

Danny swivelled to face her. " _What?!_ " he exclaimed.

Maddie squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "That's a conversation for another time."

Danny decided not to push her, opting instead to check the time. "I've gotta go," the halfa muttered.

"Where?!" Jim cried. Danny glanced at the man in surprise.

"School, of course. I have to hand in three essays or my butt is failing. Again."

Jiremy leaped forwards and threw his arms around the teen. "See you next time, then! Jazz and I are going back to Harvard today!"

Danny choked out a brief farewell before scuttling out the door, his goodbyes to Jazz having already been said. As he trudged down the pavement with ears burning in embarrassment as Jim called further well wishes out the door, Danny sighed in relief. _That was too close…_

He never made it to school.


	11. Grave

After tearful farewells Jazmine Fenton and Jiremy Hunter left FentonWorks, armed with packed lunches and promises of a visit for Thanksgiving. Maddie retreated to the lab once the mint green mini had disappeared around the corner, intending to read over the energy graphs that Danny's bubble had provided. She didn't quite make it to the computer.

Maddie stopped at the bench, her fingers hovering over the bits and pieces from her black pencil case strewn across its scarred surface. Tears blurred her vision, and for the first time in over a decade the homesickness was so bad that it drove Maddie to her knees. Sobbing, she pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes, calling up the rings and changing from Maddie Fenton to Madeline Spirit.

Jack found her like that shortly afterwards and tenderly wrapped his arms around his wife, suppressing a shiver at the chill emanating from her form. He didn't speak, but simply rocked her in his embrace, stroking her glowing white hair.

...

Maddie's sobs had just quieted when the door was literally blasted off its hinges. Both Fentons were on their feet within an instant and the huntress gave a pained cry. "Danny!"

The young halfa was in ghost form, and trussed up like the Thanksgiving turkey. He tugged against the glowing chains and cuffs fastened cruelly tight around his wrists, binding his hands behind him. The teen's wings and tail were tied against his back with several layers of coiled chain and his mouth was covered with what looked to be a moulded metal gag, preventing him from making any understandable sound. More chains and cuffs encircled his booted ankles, and Bright Eyes smirked, tugging on a chain wrapped around Danny's throat. A muffled cry reached Maddie's ears as Danny stiffened, straining against the restraints before Bright Eyes kicked him in the back of the knee, causing the ghost boy to collapse on the white floor.

" _What are you doing?!_ " Jack screamed as agents poured into the lab, more than either hunter had ever seen in one place. Bright Eyes knelt beside the writhing form of Danny, pressing a glowing knife to the teen's ribs. The halfa stilled and stared up at the man, emerald eyes large with fright.

"Unhand my child!" Maddie shrieked, allowing her hands to glow bright green and her eyes to flash in warning.

Speckles stepped towards the enraged huntress. His smile reminded Maddie of Freakshow and she shuddered. "By the power granted to us from the President of the United States of America to contain and, if necessary, dispose of any creature associated with ectoplasmic contamination, we hereby arrest Daniel James Fenton alias Daniel James Phantom and Madeline Amelia Fenton alias Madeline Amelia Spirit, to be detained within our most advanced facility until further notice." Maddie wondered if the man was going to run out of air, but he managed to deliver his little speech in a single breath, his smile widening throughout so that Jack briefly entertained the thought of the agent swallowing his own head.

As Maddie called up ectoblasts and Jack reached for the gun at his waist Bright Eyes ran the knife over Danny's chest, cleaving the flesh to the bone. Danny screamed against the gag, arching his back and screwing his eyes shut. "Stop it! I'll go with you, just don't hurt him!" Maddie begged, placing her hands flat against the back of her head and extinguishing her power.

Speckles stepped forwards, fastening a metal collar around Maddie's throat. She immediately felt her power bound within her core and yelped when the agents pounced, wrapping chains around her limbs. She screamed insults, calling them the filthiest names that came to her mind. Speckles produced what looked to be a metal bit rather like what fitted into a horse's mouth. His eyes glinted as the woman's mouth was held open, the bit pressed over her tongue and held in place with leather straps that circled her head. A gag not unlike her son's was clipped to the contraption and Maddie realised that if anyone attempted to remove it without the correct key her tongue would most likely be ripped out. She writhed, straining against the hands and chains which held her.

Vlad entered the room as Jack threw himself at the white-suited men. The older halfa kicked Danny as he passed, causing the teen to jerk and whimper against the metal filling and covering his mouth. Continuing onwards, Vlad grasped Maddie's chin as Jack was thrown across the room, slamming into the side of the Fenton Speeder.

"You always were more alluring in ghost form," the billionaire sneered, his face twisted with contempt before he turned back to the agents. "See the human?" he asked, motioning towards Jack slumped against the Speeder. "Kill him, and make his family watch."

...

Jack slumped against the Speeder, watching through bleary eyes as Vlad grasped Maddie's chin. The hunter's head spun alarmingly due to recent blows, and it was difficult to focus on any one thing.

The GIW operatives turned towards the man as Vlad ordered them to kill him.

Blinking several times, Jack stared at his oldest friend. In those few moments, Bright Eyes had approached and kneed Jack in the gut. The wheezing hunter dropped to the floor, rolling beneath the Speeder and emerging on the other side, positioning himself with his back pressed against the closed doors of the portal.

Bright Eyes approached, producing a wickedly curved blade that glowed an unsettling green. He paused when Vlad called for him to wait. Dragging Maddie forwards, the deranged halfa pressed her fingers against the scanner, effectively opening the doors that Jack was pressed against.

The low hum of the Ghost Zone filled Jack's ears. _Ah, so this is how he's going to dispose of my body,_ the hunter realised as Bright Eyes was given permission to attack.

Ducking the blade, Jack leaped backwards into the green, praying that he wasn't about to fall to his death.

...

Vlad tilted his head before grinning. "Well, he's just opted for the slow and painful way to die," he sneered, launching an ecto-bomb at the power grid attached to the side of the portal's frame. The portal flared before imploding, its light dwindling to a pinprick before extinguishing in a wave of energy. It was gone, as if the otherworldly gate had never been there, trapping Jack in the Ghost Zone.

Danny tensed, crying out as the power which had activated his core winked out of existence. Vlad's jaw slackened and he began to laugh hysterically, approaching the writhing teen. "You're kidding, right?! Don't tell me that this _abomination_ –" he gestured towards the metal frame – "is your grave!" His laughter growing more intense, Vlad stepped into the broken portal, feeling a sick satisfaction as Phantom thrashed and shrieked against the gag, eyes screwed shut in pain.

Maddie felt her heart begin to break as her son writhed and tugged against his restraints, muffled cries reaching her ears. Danny's core activation had been violent and instantaneous, and Maddie felt her guilt increase tenfold as she realised what had happened. The nature of his infusion of ectoplasm had been violent enough to imprint on Danny's core, binding it to the machine in similar way to a ghost's connection to the place its body rests. _It must hurt him every time something goes through that portal, just like someone walking over a grave!_

By now Danny had tears running down his temples and into his stark white hair. The agents smiled as one, and as many as would fit stepped into the now-empty space where Vlad already stood. Danny's eyes snapped open and his back arched at an alarming angle, his strangled screams of utter agony bringing tears to the mother's eyes. His body slammed back into the ground and the halfa began to jerk and writhe violently as though being electrocuted. After several seconds the teen fell limp, the agony driving him into unconsciousness.

Vlad smirked and exited the portal. "Well at least he won't be too much trouble to move."

...

Maddie struggled so violently that it took the agents over five minutes to drag her chained form from the lab to the living room. Vlad watched in amusement, an unconscious Daniel at his feet bleeding sluggishly onto the carpet.

The agent assigned to Maddie sent the billionaire a glance. "Can we sedate her?" he gasped, tugging harshly on the chain wrapped around the furious woman's throat.

Vlad inclined his head, grinning demonically as the operative pressed a tranquiliser dart into Maddie's skin. The huntress slumped against the floor, panic rising in her chest as darkness overwhelmed her.


	12. Obsession

Jack had always been a bit afraid of the Ghost Zone. He told himself that there was nothing to be scared of because he was a mighty ghost hunter, but in the end Jack Fenton was terrified that this place and its inhabitants would try to tear his Maddie away from him. He had already begun to see the signs – Maddie aged slower than he did. Even the watch had not suppressed this fully, although it _did_ speed up the ageing process to one year for every two instead of one year for every ten.

What bothered Jack most was the fact that he, as a human, was destined to grow old at a faster pace than his wife. So when he leaped into the Ghost Zone in order to escape the GIW, the hunter fully expected to die then and there. He was _ready_ to die then and there. The least he could do was prevent Maddie from having to see his corpse.

Except that when Jack passed through the portal, he found himself floating – actually _floating_ – in what looked to be a swirling green environment. As far as he could see Jack discerned different-sized rocks suspended throughout the area like bizarre clouds. Some of these stones were covered in trees or buildings, but most of them were utterly blank and reminded the hunter of pictures that he had seen of the moon's surface. There were also doors scattered throughout the space, most of them bearing labels or images to indicate to whom the lairs beyond belonged.

Shivering, Jack turned back towards the Fenton Portal in time to see it disappear entirely. He slumped his shoulders in resignation, trying to remember the route that Maddie had made him memorise in case of emergency.

After half an hour, Jack finally figured out how to fly. He was still shaky, but being a human in the ghost zone there was no chance of him falling to his death. _Why didn't I just jump in the Speeder and drive that here? I've never been in the Ghost Zone without it before,_ Jack berated himself, orienting himself with his back towards where the portal had been. All he had to do was fly directly downwards until he reached the big blue door covered in bright green stars, and he would be safe. Maddie had promised.

Beginning to slowly float down, Jack realised that even if he _did_ hide out in Maddie's lair, he had no clue how to save his wife and son. This meant that once he reached that star-spangled door that led to his wife's sanctuary, Jack would have to turn right and proceed towards the residence of Maddie's clan if he wanted to rescue his family.

For a brief moment the hunter wished that he _had_ fallen to his death.

...

Vlad was a halfa who had lost sight of his obsession. He had always thought that it was clear – he was obsessed with Maddie, and with revenge on Jack, and when Danny became Phantom Vlad thought that he had become obsessed with the younger halfa as well. But it was really much simpler than that, as the twisted man had realised when the GIW presented their plans to him the previous month. Vlad Plasmius' obsession was dominion.

It didn't take long for Vlad to twist the ridiculous agents around his finger – they did everything he told them to, so long as he provided them with their dream at the end of the day. And if he got a personal army out of it, Vlad wasn't going to complain. They would simply help him to rise to the very top, where he would rule the world. _World domination truly is a lost art_ , Vlad mused, sitting in his air-conditioned limousine and sipping from a glass of freezing water freshly melted from glacier ice.

As he had requested, the unconscious halfas were lying in a heap at the opposite end of the expansive vehicle, and Vlad was free to gloat away from his newfound minions. After all, one does not poke out their tongue at prisoners when surrounded by said minions – he _did_ have a reputation to uphold.

...

Danny woke lying on his stomach, his face pressed against the unyielding steel surface of a surgical table. He couldn't really see much beyond that due to the black bangs falling into his eyes, and the ghost child frowned, trying to figure out where he was. There was no underlying scent of fudge, which meant that he wasn't in the lab at FentonWorks anymore – but this place didn't smell of antiseptic either, so that ruled out the hospital. Instead, there was the coppery tang of blood, mingled with the acrid scents of ectoplasm and cleaning fluid.

Danny felt panic cloud his mind as he remembered the GIW and Vlad entering the broken portal. He tried to roll over, but found that he was held in position by glowing cuffs. In addition, his back felt like it was being torn apart at the slightest movement. The halfa cried out, tugging at the restraints and trying to twist free.

"He's awake!" someone cried, and a fistful of Danny's hair was used to roughly pull his face upwards. Danny glared into the face of an agent with an unfortunately large nose. He tried to spit an insult in the direction of the man but realised belatedly that his mouth was still filled with – and covered by – moulded metal. Danny opted for growling, and the operative chuckled. "Lively little thing, aren't you? Well –" he released Danny's hair and dusted off gloved palms – "let's get you plugged in."

_What?_ Danny nearly passed out again as he was lifted into the air and thrown over the shoulder of a burly white-suited guard. His back burned and he whimpered, opting to remain still instead of struggling fruitlessly. They left the small room which Danny could now see looked like the operating theatres he'd seen in his nightmares, carrying him down a plain white corridor and into a room which didn't seem to have much space to manoeuver. Most of the area was taken up by a hulking metal box, and this was covered in different-sized screens and tiny flashing lights. At the far end of the room there was a glass tube which stretched from the ceiling to the floor, and wires snaked from the machine to said tube.

Danny immediately knew where he was headed, and began to struggle with all his might. The brute carrying him didn't so much as twitch, and a member of the small army of white-coated scientists huddled around the machine began to type. The tube lifted from the floor by about a metre, and Danny was slipped through the gap like a letter being delivered. All ghost-proof restraints – along with the gag – fell from his limbs and the glass slammed back into its slot on the ground, effectively encasing the child. Danny launched ineffective ectoblasts against the surface, calling up the rings that transformed him into Phantom. He floated about a foot above the ground, trying his best to look incredibly pissed off in the hope that it would intimidate his captors. The same giant that had carried him there reached through the unyielding glass as though it didn't exist, removing the ghost-proof cuffs, collar, and gag from the enclosure.

Danny began to panic, removing his glove and twisting to run shaking fingers over the most tender spots on his back. His stomach twisted as he realised what he was touching – circular metal grooves had been surgically attached to his flesh. The agent was still typing furiously and the abominations on Danny's back beeped in response. Danny yelped as probes extended from them, slamming into his core. His feet hit the ground and he shakily leaned against the glass, taking deep, shuddering breaths and observing his captors with dread.

One of the agents – this one thin with a broad forehead spotted with chickenpox scars – entered through the glass, and Danny realised that it was just like the bubble his parents had made. Three other men levelled guns at the teen, and Danny gulped, remaining perfectly still. Stooping to pick up the cords that fed into the tube, the agent smirked at Danny before slamming the end of one of them into a groove on his back, spreading fire through his already-agonised body. Danny couldn't help it – he threw back his head and let loose a terrified scream, falling to his knees as the agent continued to attach the wires to his core.

… _let's get you plugged in._

"No…" Danny gasped. "No, p-please just _**stop!**_ " The agent didn't so much as pause in his work, and Danny realised with mounting horror that the grooves attached to his core were actually sockets, like on the side of his laptop for the power cord or a USB. "N-no… Please, _someone help me!_ "

The agent retreated outside the tube and the guns were withdrawn, leaving Danny to writhe on the freezing floor and scrabble at his back. He managed to fasten his fingers around a wire and tugged slightly, only to feel like his core was tearing apart. Screeching, Danny released the wire and slumped against the side of the tube.

A scientist wearing a white lab coat and goggles knelt just outside the halfa's confinement, sending him a warm smile. She reminded Danny of Paulina and he shuddered, trying to scuttle backwards. "Shhh," she soothed, the smile never leaving her face. Danny realised that it was plastered on as she continued to speak to him as though he was five. "I know that it must hurt right now, and you're scared. But please stay still and we'll be nice good doctors for you. You're very sick, so we're just trying to learn about you."

"Cut the crap," Danny growled, bristling visibly. "I'm not stupid. You're the Guys in White and you want nothing more than to torture me."

The woman's smile turned sadistic. "No, not just that." She reached into the glass, twisting Danny by the hair so she could examine his back. Her nails dug cruelly into his scalp, and the ghost child bit back a growl. "Mhm, all plugged in properly," she called over her shoulder as she released the halfa's hair. Before her arm could be withdrawn, Danny whipped his tail up and around her wrist, tugging her into the confinement with him and wrapping his limbs around her body.

"You will release me _right now!_ " he screamed, charging an ectoblast and holding it against the woman's throat.

The scientists at the machine laughed, and several more began to type. Danny frowned and was about to start counting down when the entire machine lit up, binary code racing across its panels. The cords attached to Danny began to vibrate and the ectoblast in his hand snuffed out as Danny screamed in utter anguish, collapsing back onto the tiles. His core burned like it had the night of his shape shifting. Danny felt hot tears begin to stream down his cheeks as the woman extricated herself from his lax grip with ease, exiting the confinement with an air of indifference.

The halfa gasped and writhed pathetically, sobbing as he begged the pale figures that filled the room to help him. His cries fell on deaf ears and Danny curled into the foetal position, clutching at his frail, shuddering body as the machine beeped happily, sapping his energy and sending liquid fire coursing through his nerves. _Mum, Dad, help me…_

...

Maddie came to in a soft white bed. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the otherwise featureless room were also white, immediately causing a migraine to form. Moaning, the woman shut her eyes and rolled onto her side, clutching at her head and twining her fingers within shining white hair. "Ah, I see that you have finally roused," a honeyed voice sneered from the direction of Maddie's feet. The huntress sat up and opened her eyes blearily, glaring at the man seated on the foot of the bed.

"Plasmius," she hissed.

"It's Vlad," he stated with an air of nonchalance, sliding his hands into the pockets of his tailored suit. Maddie tried to throw an ectoblast at the man, but when no green power was forthcoming she realised that her wrists still sported silver cuffs.

"What have you done to Danny?!" the woman cried, trying to launch herself at Vlad only to find that she was chained to the head of the bed.

Vlad smirked. "I gave him to my minions. You see, Maddie, they have never been able to study an immature halfa before because your people are so –" he paused, tilting his head to one side – " _touchy._ If these Guys in White wish to turn themselves into halfas they need samples straight from an immature core. That's what they're getting from Daniel – core readings, power levels, the correct way to combine human and ghost DNA… Oh, and of course they'll take the occasional sample."

"You _monster!_ " Maddie screamed, tugging at her restraints.

Vlad sighed. "I wasn't finished, my dear. You see, they also need _mature_ samples, and I am certainly not willing to offer my own core," he stated. "That's why we took you as well."

Maddie thrashed, spitting insults at him. Then she stilled, cold dread stealing over her limbs as Danny's screams filtered through the wall. Vlad smiled in a way that reminded Maddie of a dangerous predator, standing up. "Well, I must be getting next door then," he announced, turning to leave the room.

"No!" Maddie shrieked. "Let me see my son! What have you done to him?! _Danny!_ " she screamed as his cries reached her ears yet again.

Vlad smirked. "I'll be back later, Darling." With that statement he exited the room, leaving Maddie to scream herself hoarse and fight the cuffs around her wrists until her skin had split and was sluggishly staining the pristine white sheets with red and green.

...

The ancient ghost bowed his head, struggling to keep his face impassive as he watched his young charge suffer. He turned his head slightly, acknowledging the figure swathed in darkness that appeared beside him.

"Hey, Clocky," the newcomer greeted in a dull voice.

Clockwork gripped his staff slightly firmer than necessary before returning the greeting. "Good afternoon, Grim."

Death inclined his head to acknowledge this statement but refrained from speaking again, instead following Clockwork's gaze to the view of Phantom struggling weakly on a white, tiled floor. The purple-cloaked ghost tensed further, his hands visibly shaking as he twisted the staff in his grip.

The grim reaper sighed, placing a hand on the ghost's shoulder. "You can't do anything, Clocky, you _know_ that. Neither can I for that matter." Death spared a glance at the screen and wished that he hadn't. Whilst the boy was undeniably Clockwork's charge, Death had claimed Danny as a sort of pet, fully intending to one day take on the halfa as his apprentice. To see the child undergo this much damage, both physical and otherwise, tugged at even the grim reaper's heart.

Clockwork suddenly gasped. "There _is_ something I can do for once!" He turned back to Death, who cocked an eyebrow. "Remember when Daniel fought Freakshow?" the ghost cried, wildly waving around his arms as he morphed from a young man into a child.

Death suddenly wasn't so certain that he should have left his own cosy dimension.


	13. Scheming

Danny remained curled on the floor, ignoring Vlad when the man came to gloat. The older halfa soon became bored and left, and as the hours dragged by scientists trickled out of the room in a steadying stream. Soon the teen was left with only a handful of white-coated figures and that damned beeping machine.

Wrapping bruised wings around his curled form, Danny began to cry. He felt weak and sick, and when the defeated halfa finally lost the energy to remain in ghost form he realised exactly how cold his confinement was. Shivering and sobbing, Danny slowly began to acknowledge that he was probably never going to see daylight again.

The beeping of the machine changed tone and grew louder, making Danny flick his tail in irritation. It was bad enough having to be miserable, in pain, and freezing cold, but now he had to listen to this ear-piercing beeping as well!

"…something wrong?"

"…too cold…"

"…in his human form…"

"…warm him up somehow…"

"…not going in there with that _freak_ …"

"…not your place…"

Danny moaned, curling up tighter and screwing his puffy eyes shut, more tears leaking from their corners. A touch on his shoulder startled him and the halfa jumped, staring up at the scientist with frightened blue eyes.

"Come on," the flaxen-haired woman coaxed, "get up, there's a good boy." Danny did as she asked, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his jumper as the flow of tears stemmed and shifting his wings, keeping them wrapped around his shaking form. She sent him a sad smile, motioning for him to stand pressed against the glass. Danny obeyed, watching in confusion as the woman laid out several thick quilts on the freezing tiles. She bade Danny sit on them, and then threw more blankets around his shuddering form. "Is there anything else you need?" she asked as he settled.

Danny stared at her light brown eyes. "I-I…" He licked his lips, wondering if this was such a good idea. "I want m-my m-mum. Where d-did you guys t-take her?"

The woman visibly softened. "Oh, Honey, your mum's still asleep."

Danny realised that unless she was an exceptional actor – which was highly likely – he currently had the upper hand. Making his eyes go as wide as they could, he began to whimper. "P-please, I-I need my m-mum! I p-promise t-t-to be g-good, j-just let me s-s-see h-her," he hiccupped, dissolving into tears that weren't entirely for show.

The woman stroked his hair once and then left the cylinder. She wordlessly exited the room, and Danny pulled the blankets tightly around himself, ignoring the glares that the remaining scientists sent in his direction.

...

Maddie had lost a considerable amount of blood by the time Vlad returned, kicking irritably at the bedpost as he passed it. He glared at her pale face and at the stained sheets before stomping his foot in a childish display of anger. Maddie in turn stared stonily at the ceiling, lying perfectly still and ignoring her tormentor.

With a sharp slapping sound Vlad backhanded the woman across the face. All demeanour was gone as he leaned down and put his own face inches from hers, spittle flying from his lips as he hissed, "You think that you can still win against me? You're my slaves, and the sooner you and your arrogant son learn that the better. You're nothing, Maddie. You're a worthless piece of trash that couldn't even defend her own family! So don't you _dare_ act all high-and-mighty around me!" He was shouting now, and thumped the pillow on either side of her head. The huntress' gaze never wavered; she continued to stare through the bridge of Vlad's nose as if he wasn't even there.

"You know what you are?" Vlad taunted, leaning closer and placing his mouth next to her ear. "You're weak. You're a fool. You have so much power and what did you do with it for twenty years? You _hid_ it. You didn't even _use_ it. And because of your weakness your own little boy had to save you from the spooks." Maddie tensed slightly and Vlad pounced on this subtle indication of distress. "Danny played the hero because you were not only too weak to do so, but you were too _cowardly_. You ignored your heritage and hunted your own son. Have you _seen_ the scars? You know, I think you killed him a few times too if his slips of the tongue are anything to go by. Nice to know that you treated him worse than I did – it's a wonder he doesn't hate you as well."

Maddie breathed heavily, trying to hold back her tears. Now that someone was pointing it all out, everything became so much harder to bear without breaking down. Vlad pulled away, his lips curving into a satisfied smile. As he opened his mouth to deliver another taunt the door opened and a slight young woman dressed in a white lab coat timidly entered.

"Ah, you're the head scientist, aren't you?" Vlad practically purred.

The woman nodded, adjusting her square-framed spectacles. "Phantom's condition is declining, Sir. He reverted to human form and rapidly lost body heat from there. We have provided him with a number of blankets but cannot raise the temperature of the room lest the machine malfunction."

Vlad inclined his head. "You did correctly. I trust that young Daniel is warming up now?"

The woman fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves. "Erm… Actually, Phantom is extremely distressed. Sir, he's asking for his _mother…_ "

Vlad paused, his eyes widening slightly. "Are you sure?"

Maddie began to thrash, re-opening the wounds on her wrists. "Let me out! Vlad, let me see my boy!"

The scientist butted in, her voice far stronger than Maddie expected from such a petite woman. "He said that he promises to be good if he's permitted to be with her," she announced.

Vlad grinned. "Well, come on, Maddie – we don't want to leave the Little Badger waiting!"

...

"Clocky?" Death called from where the ancient ghost had bid him sit in one of the comfortable armchairs next to the fireplace. "Can you please explain what you're doing? I may be Death himself, but I'm not omniscient by a long shot."

Clockwork entered the room, seating himself across from his oldest friend in another armchair. In his hands he carried a large wooden box, and Death raised an eyebrow. The master of time grinned uncharacteristically wide, popping the locks and opening the lid.

"You're telling me that this entire issue can be resolved with a shiny metal _glove?_ Clocky, you've gone nuts."

Clockwork nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! This is the Reality Gauntlet!"

"I thought your charge destroyed that?"

Clockwork shifted. "Erm, actually… He destroyed a copy. I stopped time just before he shot the ectoblast and swapped the real gauntlet for a fake one."

Death tilted his head towards the ceiling, closing emerald eyes and rubbing at his temples. " _Why?_ " he groaned.

The blue-skinned spectre shifted from a middle-aged man into the wizened body of an aged citizen as if on cue. "Because, oh high and mighty one swathed in shadows, _this is an object which controls reality_. It _can't_ be destroyed, and I replaced it with a fake because back then there was still the possibility of Dan. What do you think would have happened if Dan Phantom had had access to _this?_ " He waved the golden glove above his head, ruining what would have otherwise been a serious moment.

Death barely resisted the urge to facepalm.

...

When Maddie entered the room that her son was in she couldn't hold back a shocked cry, twisting free of Vlad's grip on her arms and racing to the end of the room to press her hands against the glass. "Danny!" she shrieked, and the teen opened his eyes from where he was curled on the floor.

Danny's mouth opened in a small o-shape, and his eyes filled with tears. "Mum?" he whispered as he sat up, the blankets falling from around his shoulders. That was when Maddie noticed the wires that attached Danny to the beeping machine that occupied the majority of the room.

She rounded on Vlad, punching him in the mouth and pulling him into a headlock in one smooth movement. Vlad simply phased out of the enraged woman's grasp and pressed a hand against his split lip, using the other hand to tug on the chains still attached to her wrists. The huntress hissed and three scientists stepped forwards as the glass tube was raised two metres off the ground. Danny stayed perfectly still, realising that if he tried to leave the space usually enclosed that he would end up tugging on the cords attached to him, most likely damaging his core. Two of the scientists who had come forwards levelled ectoguns at Maddie, motioning for her to join her son. Maddie felt the cuffs fall from around her wrists and power flood her veins, but before she could so much as summon an ectoblast the third scientist held the barrel of an ectogun against Danny's temple. Maddie lowered her clenched fists and stepped forwards, seating herself on the blankets beside her son and wrapping a protective arm around him.

The glass slammed back into place and the scientist retreated through it. Maddie was livid – to think that she and Danny were being imprisoned within her own invention! She stroked Danny's soft black hair, feeling him shiver. "Mum?" he breathed. "C-can you turn human? You're freezing."

Maddie wordlessly allowed the rings to wash over her body, returning some measure of warmth to her limbs. Danny's body was freezing in comparison, and he leaned into her embrace, closing his eyes and wrapping his tail around her waist. Maddie threw the blankets around the two of them, rubbing her hands over his upper arms in an effort to generate more heat. Within the relative comfort of his mother's arms and the return of warmth to his limbs, Danny soon fell asleep.


	14. Halfa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, vivisection's in this chapter so a quick gore warning I guess.

It took over four hours for Jack to reach Maddie's lair. In that time he had managed to run into no less than six ectopusses, one of which he suspected was an ecto _squid_ , considering the fact that it had been startled by Jack's close proximity and squirted ectoplasm throughout the area. It coated the hunter's hair and clothes and smelled utterly ghastly, somewhat like the soup goop had. Speaking of soup goop, Jack noticed that particular blob of ectoplasm and misplaced aggression sulking on a rock about half an hour's descent from the Fenton portal – it hissed as he passed, but didn't budge from its perch.

Jack's ectoplasm-coated glove left green residue on the door handle to Maddie's lair, and as his foot passed over the threshold a sleek cat with brilliant white fur and glowing blue eyes appeared on the doormat and hissed loudly. Jack grinned, clucking his tongue. The animal hissed again and grew to three times its size, to which Jack threw up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, just calm down. I'm Jack Fenton." He removed his gloves and presented his hands for the animal to sniff. Satisfied that Jack was permitted by its mistress to enter her lair, the cat shrunk back to its original size and wound itself around the hunter's ankles, purring.

Jack ignored the cat, heading straight for the shower and a fresh change of clothes. After half an hour of searching through wardrobes clad only in a towel Jack admitted defeat, resignedly dressing himself in grey jeans and a red shirt. Uncomfortable at the lack of hazmat, the hunter appraised his suit. The ectoplasm had begun to corrode the fabric, and Jack sighed before throwing the garment into the fireplace where bright green flames had appeared upon his arrival at the lair.

The fire produced a dusky scent that reminded Jack of gloaming in a forest during Summer, and the man lowered his aching body into a dark blue armchair. He glanced around guiltily, feeling sick and lost as his gaze was met with bookshelves covering every wall and the fluffy white cat curled up on the cushioned windowsill. The animal stared at him before getting to its feet and sauntering over, demanding loudly to be picked up. The man sighed and obeyed the plea, settling the cat in his lap and beginning to stroke its soft fur. The fire sent waves of warmth through his limbs, and Jack fell asleep to the cat's purring.

His dreams were full of darkness and the terrified screams of his wife and son.

...

Danny woke to his mother's muffled cries. He sat up and rubbed a fist over sleepy blue eyes, blinking owlishly at the scientists gathered around the tube. Maddie was being restrained halfway across the room by five of them, and the missing teeth and bloody noses of these men indicated the level of her upset. Danny yawned and got shakily to his feet, eyeing the barrel of the ectogun that an agent held inches from the bridge of his nose. "M-Mum?" the halfa stuttered, taking a step backwards and pressing his burning back against the glass.

Maddie's response didn't make it past the moulded metal gag fitted over her mouth.

Danny tensed and gasped as a collar snapped shut his throat, binding his power. As his head was tilted back and his mouth prised open by gloved hands, Danny whimpered and wrapped his tail around the wrist of the hand that held a metal bit and gag. "Leave him," a familiar voice commanded, "we'd just have to take it off again to put the oxygen mask on."

The agents grudgingly stepped back from Danny, leaving him alone in the tube. He glared at the man that had spoken, practically spitting the words "What the hell do you want, Fruitloop?"

Vlad chuckled. "My dear Little Badger, you must learn to control that temper of yours." He held up a finger and shook it from side to side, the smirk never leaving his thin lips. "Somebody might be offended if you don't!"

"Go to hell," Danny hissed, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth and his eyes narrowing to slits.

Vlad spread his hands, shrugging and looking around in an exaggerated fashion. "I believe that we're already here, my boy." His gaze returned to Danny, who bared sharp teeth and pressed back harder against the glass. Vlad tutted and motioned for the tube to be raised. As it lifted off the ground, Danny stepped back further. He halted on the third step, hissing as the wires tugged at his core.

Vlad came forwards, placing a firm hand on the teen's shoulder and using the other to grasp raven locks, twisting a squirming, yelping Danny around to face the wall. The younger halfa gave a screech, his knees buckling and hitting the floor as the sockets were tugged by the movement. Vlad rolled his eyes before producing a key, using it to unlock and remove each of the wires connected to Danny's back. The boy shuddered with every disconnection, screwing his eyes shut and swallowing his vocal reactions. As the final wire pulled away from his body Danny slumped his shoulders, feeling his wings relax and fall open to rest on the floor. He bowed his head, staying perfectly still as Vlad clipped a chain to the collar, tugging on it in an obvious command for the boy to start walking. "That's it," Vlad soothed, "come with me and we'll get this over with."

Danny got shakily to his feet, his limbs feeling like the life was seeping out of them. _I should be trying to rip out Vlad's spleen through his nose. Why can't I muster up the energy to give him a hard time?_ The cold metal around his throat seemed to thrum with contentment, and Danny sighed in defeat. _Stupid collar, it's sapping my strength…_

The boy and his mother were led – and in the case of Maddie dragged – to the operating room where Danny had first woken a handful of hellish hours ago. The teen got his first proper look at the place and cringed, trying in vain to pull away as Vlad led him to sit on one of the two operating tables that stood side-by-side in the centre of the room. Danny laid back on the hard surface as though in a dream, his head swimming as his wrists were clipped into place above his head. Extra straps were cinched tight around his hips and shoulders, trapping his wings and preventing most movement. His ankles and tail were also restrained, and the young man flinched as needles slipped into his right forearm. He recognised the sensation of mild sedative within seconds and watched through bleary eyes as the clear plastic bag containing said concoction was hung from a metal frame above his head. _I'm going to die._ The thought was fleeting and almost non-existent, but not altogether unwelcome.

Danny turned his head, watching with mounting horror as his mother was fastened to the neighbouring table in a similar fashion. _They're going to kill us,_ he realised. Tugging slightly at his restraints, Danny felt lethargy steal over his limbs. _They're going to paralyse us and then kill us slowly._

As trays of stainless steel tools were wheeled into view the teen could no longer ignore what he had known since entering the room. The panic set in and he tried to move but found that his body wouldn't obey him. "N-no…" he gasped, the simple action taking great effort. "P-p-please…"

It would kill him. He couldn't go through this – not again.

Vlad tilted his head towards the boy and Danny realised that whilst he could barely move, he could still hear, see, and feel perfectly. "Phantom first," the billionaire murmured, fitting an oxygen mask over Danny's mouth.

"V-V-Vl…" the teen wheezed, feeling his mind kick into overdrive as his shirt was torn away to expose a scar-riddled torso. _No,_ anything _but vivisection!_ He tried to fight the sedative, struggled to form a final plea. _Damn it!_

Vlad laid the scalpel against the top of Danny's pelvis and applied pressure, raking it upwards towards the boy's face and terminating the incision when the blade hit the sternum. Danny screwed his eyes shut and screamed bloody murder as tears streamed down his temples to soak into messy black hair.

...

Vlad calmly continued to make the Y-shaped incision, a fixed smile gracing his features as though in trivial conversation regarding the weather. Danny sobbed and screamed at every twist of the blade, tear-filled blue eyes shut tightly and limbs heavy with mild sedative. The man tried to make it as neat as possible, following the marks left by a previous vivisection. _I'm not vivisecting him anyway,_ Vlad justified, _merely_ operating. _If it were vivisection I would remove samples of_ all _of his organs and several bones._

It still left a sick feeling in the billionaire's stomach, but he studiously ignored what were no doubt muffled insults and threats thrown at the back of his head by an irate Maddie, concentrating on the task at hand. If he dwelt on the implications of the scar that he followed, Vlad doubted that he would be able to continue. _To think that he's already been cut open like this… He's going to be furious later._

Vlad performed the procedure unassisted, quietly cutting away at the helpless teen. Danny's voice was slowly growing hoarse, and as the man finally reached and nudged his core the younger halfa let loose a scream of such intensity that it seemed to tear his throat in two – his subsequent expressions of pain were small sounds of agony whenever he opened his mouth. There was just no voice left to scream with, and for the first time Vlad wondered if Danny might have rendered himself temporarily mute.

Vlad laid the blade against the designated area of the pulsing vine of gelatinous blue light that was Danny's core and twisted once, dislodging a piece about the size of a little fingernail. Danny's eyes flicked open as his face lost all remaining colour and he threw his mouth wide, a high-pitched _sound_ leaving his throat before his voice gave way entirely.

For the first time, Vlad felt truly bad about this. He hadn't used a stronger sedative because anything that blocked out pain or induced unconsciousness would cause the core to spread through Danny's chest, effectively making it impossible for a piece to be removed. But the magnitude of Danny's suffering had torn at something within Vlad, and the man found himself questioning the necessity of such physical and psychological abuse.

Vlad sighed before placing the sample on a petri dish. He motioned for phase two to commence and silently a scientist in white hazmat stepped forwards, keying a command into the panel on Danny's collar. The teen's eyes widened and his breathing stopped as a ring formed around his waist, thickening to the point where it was about to split before halting in its progress. Vlad quickly reached through the light and dislodged another piece of core, watching anxiously; Danny's face contorted and he screamed silently, expelling any remaining air from his lungs.

The older halfa placed the midmorph sample in a second labelled petri dish, nodding to the scientist. A second command was keyed into the collar and Danny's ring split in two, travelling over the halfa's ravaged body. Danny gasped for air as the lights winked out of existence, staring at Vlad with terrified green eyes. His mouth worked but the only sounds were faint, ragged whimpers. Even Maddie had fallen silent, but Vlad refused to look at her just yet – he knew that his actions were inexcusable, and the accusation in her eyes could easily be enough to make him falter.

The final sample was dislodged swiftly, and Vlad immediately began to stitch up the helpless child's bleeding body. Danny's eyes were growing dim, the glow surrounding his body and flickering between the strands of ivory hair beginning to darken. The teen stared at his tormentor with reproachful eyes, his confusion and utter _terror_ seeping through the atmosphere and staining the back of Vlad's throat with a sour taste. Then, as suddenly as a switch being flicked, Danny finally lost consciousness.

...

Maddie lay still on her back, scowling at the perfect white ceiling. The surface she laid on was soft and warm, but the slight weight of the blanket resting over her body caused pain to ripple through her mutilated chest and stomach. She clenched her fists, shutting emerald eyes tightly as tears continued to drip down her temples.

She was going to murder every last one of them.

Vlad had not vivisected her – he stitched Danny up and removed the sockets in the teen's back before leaving the room with a strangled sound. His guilt had left a cloying scent that stuck to the back of Maddie's throat and made it difficult for her to swallow.

One of the scientists – the woman with flaxen hair – was the one to cut Maddie open, copying Vlad's procedure to the letter. Maddie had fainted as the third sample was taken, and woke in the position she was in now, free of all collars and restraints but bound in place by her own broken body.

The bed was the biggest Maddie had ever seen, and her son slept beside her. Danny's face was ashen, his breathing lighter and slower than the mother would have liked. Occasionally phantom grimaces flickered across his visage, but Danny's features always smoothed out quickly. His eyelids fluttered rapidly, and Maddie found herself wondering what her child dreamed of.

...

Clockwork floated impassively in front of the halfa. "Jack Fenton will be here soon."

"Jack Fenton? What does _he_ want?" she sneered.

The ancient ghost was not in the mood for small talk. "You _will_ help him." Clockwork held up a hand and the leader of the Thalassic Clan shut her mouth wordlessly. The Master of Time continued. "I understand your laws, and I have here a way that you can help him," he stated.

With a slightly unnecessary swish of his cloak, Clockwork materialised a golden glove from its depths. Gems glittered in their rightful positions and the woman stirred in wonder. "The Reality Gauntlet? But how would that help us to help him?"

The cloaked figure swallowed his sigh, holding out the glove as he spoke. "Use this to change him. You cannot kill him nor do anything that would alter the time stream, but I can allow you to change him to meet your regulations."

The woman took the glove with wonder. "You're entrusting _me_ with this?" she breathed.

This time Clockwork did sigh. "I am not permitted to interfere. This is the most that I can do."

The woman bowed to the ancient ghost, twin locks of glacier-blue hair falling forwards to hide glowing mauve eyes. "Yes, Sir."

Clockwork inclined his head and disappeared in a whirl of purple light.

...

Danny woke slowly, blinking his eyes in bewilderment. "M-Mum?" he rasped, his voice almost non-existent as he tried to sit up. The halfa regretted the mistake instantly as pain ripped through his chest and along his back. " _Mum?_ " he gasped, his throat searing at the use of damaged vocal chords. Danny gritted his teeth and screwed his eyes shut, panting slightly from the exertion.

"I'm here, Sweetie." Maddie's gentle hand smoothed back messy white locks, and Danny opened his eyes and turned his head towards the sound.

Maddie lay on her side next to him in a massive white bed. Her face was grey with pain and faint lines creased her forehead as she continued to stroke her son's hair. Maddie's chin was cupped in her other hand, supporting her head whilst her elbow rested on her pillow. The blankets pooled around the woman's waist, and Danny realised with slight embarrassment that her torso was covered in nothing but stark white bandages. His gut clenched and his eyes widened in horror. "Not you too…" Danny breathed.

Maddie followed his gaze to her bandages, her mouth tightening into a thin line. She said nothing, finger-combing her son's hair softly.

_The burning, sickening sensation of flesh being slowly ripped away from his ribcage…_

"I-I need the bathroom," Danny gasped, unable to speak above a whisper.

Maddie frowned. "You can't move, and neither can I."

_His sternum being snapped in two with a very audible crack…_

"M-Mum, I'm gunna b-be sick," he whimpered.

Maddie pressed cool fingers against his sweat-covered brow before shifting with an audible groan. She managed to sit up, biting back the yelps that formed in her throat. Then came the herculean effort of getting to her unsteady feet, a shriek slipping past her lips at the pain that tore through her.

_The cold_ wrongness _of that blade continuing to slice deeper…_

Maddie leaned heavily against the side of the bed, pulling her son to his feet. Danny nearly passed out from the pain, a strangled gasp the only sound his battered throat could produce as he tried to scream.

_Vlad's hand brushing past his stomach, cold fingers actually touching the slightly warmer organ…_

They leaned heavily on each other, and Maddie half-dragged Danny the dozen steps to the bathroom, feeling her stitches begin to tug and knowing that her boy's would be the same. She pushed the door open, lowering their broken bodies to the floor in front of the toilet.

_The sharp little blade pressing into his core, twisting once and dislodging a chunk…_

The bile rose in Danny's throat and he unceremoniously dumped the acid that had been roiling in his empty stomach into the porcelain bowl. Maddie raised her hand to rub circles on his back but paused at the recollection that he had injuries there as well. She slumped against the floor, giving way to her pained gasps as Danny retched and wrapped his tail around her wrist.

Once he was finished Maddie steeled her resolve to get to her feet, but found that strong arms encircled her form and lifted her into the air. She gave a cry before realising that it was one of the agents trying to get her off the cold tiles. Another agent entered and managed to pull Maddie's shuddering son to his feet and press his head down near the faucet. Turning on the tap, the man proceeded to splash cold water against the teen's face and wash out his mouth.

That done, both halfas were carried back to the bed and placed in their original positions. Vlad was standing at the foot of the bed, wringing his hands. "How stupid can the two of you be?" he cried, practically hopping from foot to foot.

Danny cringed away, fear flitting over his face. Maddie shifted painfully, resting her hand against his wrist beneath the covers. Danny wound his tail firmly around her ankle, turning his face towards her and away from Vlad.

The older halfa stepped forwards, stretching out a hand. "I need to check your stitches."

Danny whimpered, shifting closer to his mother. His utter terror soured the back of Maddie's throat and she squeezed his hand before growling at Vlad, "Our stitches are fine. I swear, Plasmius, that you're going to pay for this, and I'll be there to see it."

Vlad paused in his approach, staring at the huntress with open mouth. Maddie felt Danny shudder and she shifted even closer to him, silently daring Vlad to take another step forwards. The man took the hint and backed off, soundlessly exiting the room. The two scientists followed, leaving Maddie and Danny alone.

Slowly, painfully, Maddie wrapped an arm around her terrified child.

...

Jack floated in front of the doorway that marked the official offices of the Thalassic Clan. In front of him rose a large silver door emblazoned with purple flames. All a bit theatrical in the hunter's opinion, but he wasn't about to say anything out loud.

Will Ashray floated in front of him, a scowl crinkling her pretty features. Her stark white hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense braid, and blue eyes glowed from beneath a sensible fringe. Jack quailed slightly as she pointed a finger at him – ever since his engagement to Maddie, this woman had scared the living daylights out of him.

" _What_ are _you_ doing here?" she demanded, placing her hands on slim hips clad in plain black slacks.

Jack flinched as though he had been struck. "I-I need help."

Will flicked her braid over her shoulder and turned to re-enter the gate. "Go elsewhere. Nobody here is going to help you."

"Please!" Jack cried, falling to his knees on the rocky ground at Will's feet and raising his hands as though in prayer. "I'm begging you; please help me to save my family!"

The woman paused, turning back to face the hunter as tears began to crawl down his cheeks. When she spoke, her voice was soft and dangerous. "What happened? _What have you done to my sister?_ "

Jack cringed. "The Guys in White took her, and Danny too! They're going to really hurt them!"

"The Guys in White…" she breathed, before shaking her head slightly. "Well, that's not my concern. I don't know who this _Danny_ is, but Maddie chose to leave this clan for _you_ , and if you can't protect her then you only have yourself to blame! Now _get out of here!_ "

"Wilhelmina," a quiet voice sounded from behind her. Jack shuddered at the tangible power in the air, staying on his knees as a cloaked ghost with hair of the palest blue materialised. Will fell silent, touching her feet to the ground and bowing at the waist before kneeling in one fluid motion.

The newcomer regarded Jack with eyes that matched the sunset. The man ducked his head, panic fluttering in his stomach. _This must be the leader of their clan! What did Mads say her name was again?_ "Jack Fenton, you come here for our assistance?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jack breathed.

The woman sighed and knelt in front of him. "You must know that you do not currently conform to our laws. As long as you have no spectral heritage or power we cannot assist you."

"Please," Jack implored, his voice cracking, "I'll do anything!"

The cloaked ghost inclined her head. "That's what I was waiting for." She rose, motioning for the two kneeling figures to rise. "Come, Jack. I have an offer for you."

Jack followed her through the door without hesitation, looking back at his flabbergasted sister-in-law as he did so. The doors began to close, leaving her to resume her everyday activities. Just before they slammed shut, Jack grinned and poked his tongue out.

This caused Will to fume for the better part of the next hour.


	15. Asphyxiate

Jack followed the cloaked woman down a hallway furnished with large, ornate vases and dark wooden panelling that gleamed in the electric light. The wooden floor beneath his feet was covered in what looked to be Persian rugs, and doors with shining brass plaques bolted to their surfaces lined the walls. The leader paused at the end of the hallway, opening the only door without a plaque on it. Jack ducked his head and entered at her gesture to do so, seating himself when she motioned towards a plush armchair. It was placed in front of a wide French window offering a view of the Ghost Zone, and as he sat, Jack glanced around the room. It seemed to be a cosy parlour, complete with bookshelves covering the walls and a cabinet of porcelain tea sets. Through a slightly ajar door an office was visible, its cherry wood desk practically glowing in the supernatural light of the Ghost Zone.

The leader of the Thalassic Clan seated herself in the chair opposite her unusual guest, observing Jack over steepled fingers. Jack fought back the urge to squirm, feeling very vulnerable. "What are you willing to give in exchange for me saving your family?" she asked quietly.

Jack fixed his eyes upon hers. "Like I said before, I will give you anything you wish."

The woman raised a delicate blue eyebrow. "Anything?"

"Anything," Jack intoned.

This seemed to please the hostess. She sat up straighter, her expression smoothing into a gentle smile. "My name is Asima Ashray, and I am the head of the Thalassic Clan. You come before me now, a human in dire need of my aid. You have no heritage within any clan of the Ghost Zone, and thus I am not permitted by our laws to offer you assistance. However," she held up a hand to silence Jack's interruption, "I have a solution for you." Jack sat up straighter, his face hopeful as the halfa got to her feet.

"What I want from you is half of your humanity." Jack started and opened his mouth but no sound came out. "I will turn you into a halfa, and you will officially become a member of this clan. With your transformation, Madeline will be redeemed from the consequences of marrying a human, making her an active member of our clan once more. As for this Danny, who is he that we should rescue him?"

Jack gaped at Ashray before forcing himself to speak. "A halfa…" he breathed before shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts. "D-Danny's our son, and he's half ghost as well. Can you really turn _me_ into-"

"Of course I can." Ashray unclasped her cloak from its brooch at her throat, allowing the garment to fall to the ground in a waterfall of white fabric. Beneath it she wore fitted white clothing, her pants and lightweight jacket embroidered with twining purple flames around their cuffs.

On her right hand she wore a golden glove. Jack slowly got to his feet, keeping his eyes on the item. Without warning, the woman raised her hand and pointed it at Jack. He took a step backwards, watching as she pressed inlaid gems in some sort of code. The glove then glowed amber, shooting a blast the colour of the sun straight at the bewildered hunter.

Jack blanched, doubling over and grasping at his chest as his heart faltered. The man let loose a scream, sinking to his knees as something cold and crackling began to condense within him, bringing with it more pain than he had ever felt before. His breathing slowed to match his new heart rate, and Jack scrabbled at his chest as the golden light faded from around his body, leaving behind a soft white glow that flickered over his shaking frame.

Kneeling on the carpet, Jack stayed as still as he could, his entire body burning. Something had formed deep within him, sending freezing bursts of power through his limbs that tingled like a small electric current. Air entered and exited Jack's lungs in pained gasps and the man moaned, closing stinging eyes and feeling like he was going to throw up.

Ashray kneeled beside him, placing a gentle hand on Jack's back. The hunter whimpered, cracking open his eyes and looking down at his aching body. From what he could see he was dressed in the same clothes he had worn before, but now with black jeans and a soft blue shirt. Gasping, Jack hauled himself to his feet, turning to the glass cabinet to appraise his reflection.

A man with glowing eyes the colour of silver clouds stared back at him, hair as blue as the sky. Giving a graceless moan, Jack sank to the ground in a dead faint.

...

Maddie woke to the sound of cheering. Danny tensed beside her, rising out of his fitful doze with a start. "Shhhh," she soothed, stroking her terrified child's white hair. They were alone in the room, but the presence of several ghosts could be felt next door.

"Who do you think it is?" Danny rasped, his throat burning at the activity.

Maddie shifted to press her lips against his forehead. "I don't know," she whispered, keeping her own voice quiet as she settled beside him again. Danny pressed his nose into the crook of her shoulder, seeking comfort in his mother's arms. Maddie began to rub his shoulders and the back of his neck, frowning as more cheers reached through the plaster.

Danny gasped, pressing back against the hand on his neck and smiling slightly. Maddie raised an eyebrow before scratching at the spot, laughter bubbling within her throat as the younger halfa wriggled as much as his mutilated body would allow, making little pleased noises. He flexed his wings and wrapped his tail around Maddie's waist, trying to sit up as she did. The huntress chuckled, reverting to rubbing the spot lightly before removing her hand entirely. Danny looked at her reproachfully before asking why she'd stopped.

Maddie laughed outright. "You'll make your injuries worse if you wriggle too much!"

Danny smiled slightly, his cheeks tinged pink. "I guess you've found my weakness," he rasped before giving way to a coughing fit, his painfully dry and battered throat completely giving up on him. The boy's stomach growled a moment later and Maddie stroked tangled bags back off his forehead. "When are they gunna feed us?" he whispered, this small effort tearing more coughs from his throat.

Maddie stroked his brow. "I don't know." She was beginning to grow weak from hunger and dehydration herself, a headache throbbing at her right temple and her tongue feeling thick and swollen in her mouth.

She settled beside her son once more, jumping as a group of people dressed in white sauntered into the room. Vlad was amongst them, but his smile seemed forced. Maddie briefly allowed herself to taste the emotions emanating from the company, and found that his overwhelming guilt made her tongue even heavier.

The euphoria from Vlad's companions seemed to fill the room, and Danny sucked in the positive emotion as fast as he could, feeling it bolster his limbs and explode on his tongue like sweet fruit. Maddie also siphoned off some positive energy, but left the majority to her starved son.

Vlad cringed at the sight of the two Fentons before regaining his composure. He gestured to the seven assembled men and women. "Know that your sacrificed core samples have not been in vain. Phantom and Spirit, I give you the result of many years of planning and extensive research!"

Danny shrank back against his mother and Maddie gasped as each of the seven scientists had bright white rings snap into being around their waists, splitting to travel over their bodies. The rings revealed ghosts clad entirely in black with glowing green eyes and pearl-white hair, leaving no doubt as to the origin of their new DNA.

It would have been a spectacular sight if not for the fact that powers began to malfunction swiftly, with most of the new halfas either turning invisible or having their feet sink through the floor. Only one of them was able to float and he was stuck upside-down, arms flailing wildly.

Vlad literally facepalmed, rubbing at his temples before levelling sad eyes at his two captives. He clapped once, and each of the minions tried to snap to attention, the one stuck upside-down grinning like a lunatic.

"Time to get this over with," Vlad commanded.

...

Will rapped on the lime-green door, grumbling under her breath. After several seconds of waiting she knocked again, a little harder this time. Footsteps approached and a slight young woman cracked the door open, soft brown eyes peeking around the doorframe. They widened at the sight of the halfa irritably tapping her foot in mid-air, arms crossed and a sour expression on her face. "Wilhelmina!" the teen gasped, her cheeks reddening. "C-come in."

"I have no time for pleasantries," Will stated coolly. "Your services are required by Madam."

Bekah gulped. "Just let me change out of my pyjamas." She retreated back into her lair, motioning for the older woman to follow. "Come and wait inside while I do!"

Will crinkled her nose before entering the lair, seating herself primly on the edge of the plush couch and avoiding the stacks of movies and half-empty bottles of soft drink littering the floor. Bekah bowed slightly to her superior before racing from the room, throwing aside her fluffy dressing-gown as she went.

She returned less than two minutes later, clad in her usual attire of jeans, a tight black shirt and rather scuffed vans the same colour as the door to her lair. Will frowned at the assorted jewellery that the girl wore but refrained from commenting, instead rising to her feet and motioning for Rebekah to follow her into the Ghost Zone. The teen brought brilliant red rings into being around her waist, moving them over her body. Her eyes turned completely black, and the straight brown hair that fell to the seat of her jeans was replaced by red flames. Wilhelmina raised an eyebrow at the tight black pants and battered converse before sweeping out of the lair, frankly not caring whether the younger girl followed or not.

...

Danny was in no position to struggle when he was dragged from the bed by none other than Vlad himself. Cringing away from the creature that had caused him so much pain, Danny felt his eyes begin to prick with tears. _Why can't anyone give me a break?_

The two captives were dragged down the hallway and into a small room that neither had entered before. Vlad deposited the boy within a glass tube and Maddie was placed in one next to it. The billionaire retreated, casting his eyes to the floor and refusing to look at anyone.

The head scientist inclined her head towards his figure before turning to the computer and beginning to type. Danny pressed himself against the glass, trying to phase through and reach his mother as panic roiled in his gut.

One of the other scientists positioned himself before the tubes and began to speak, and Maddie recognised with a wave of fury that it was Speckles. "By the power granted to us from the President of the United States of America to contain and, if necessary, dispose of any creature associated with ectoplasmic contamination, we hereby destroy Daniel James Fenton alias Daniel James Phantom and Madeline Amelia Fenton alias Madeline Amelia Spirit, on the grounds that they are contaminated by an aggressive strain of ectoplasm which, if left unchecked, will consume their minds and further contaminate those around them." This time there was no smile from the white-suited man.

Maddie swore violently. "That's an utter load of hogwash! You have no right to do _anything_ to us!"

Danny began to tremble. "Mum? Are they really going to kill us?" His shaking voice, weak from its recent abuse, barely made it through the glass.

Maddie froze at her son's query, the reality of the situation crashing down upon her.

The head scientist made a pleased sound as she finished typing, depressing a button set into the wall.

The air within the columns shimmered with a transparent gas, and Danny gave a pained cry at the first breath, the sound quickly escalating into a choking scream as he clutched at his throat. Maddie was in a similar position, the gas filling her lungs and beginning to invade her body, sending a terrifying numbness that wrapped around her heart.

...

Will's mouth was a grim line as she led her team of halfas down yet another white hallway. She followed the sense of two ghosts nearby, but couldn't pass through the phase-proof walls to reach them and was thus reduced to scuttling down the maze of corridors. Her frustration made her tense, and she had already snapped at Bekah twice.

Twin screams tore through the air and the ten halfas broke into a sprint, racing for the door further down the corridor from which the sounds were coming.

She burst into the room, her face slackening as she registered the sight before her. Maddie was floating in the middle of a glass tube, clutching at her throat as though she couldn't breathe. A young male ghost floated in the tube next to her, tears streaming down his cheeks as he choked and scrabbled at his own neck.

Astonishment gave way to fury, and as one the group of halfas attacked the assembled scientists. Bekah and Will honed in on the vampiresque ghost that rose to meet them, throwing flames and ice respectively. The man viciously retaliated with his own electrical blasts, but by then the other scientists had been subdued and nine furious halfas attacked as one, their blasts throwing him across the room. He was unconscious before he hit the floor.

The tenth halfa was frantically typing at the computer, lines of text streaming across the screen. "Deactivate," he mumbled, flicking several switches and depressing a button. By then both victims had slumped to the floor of their confinements, the boy unconscious as rings travelled over his body to reveal a broken young man. Bekah's eyes widened and she turned to Wilhelmina. "We have to get them out of there!"

Will shushed her, moving towards the glass and noting that the shimmering air dissipated. The tubes raised themselves from the floor and the woman kneeled beside her sister, searching for a heartbeat. She gave a sigh of relief after several seconds, tenderly stroking Maddie's brow as she gasped in a lungful of air and fluttered open dull green eyes. "Will?" Maddie rasped, fixing her eyes on the glowing white braid.

...

Bekah knelt beside the boy, noting that he wasn't breathing. She gave a cry for help, turning him onto his back and pressing two fingers against his neck. There was no heartbeat, and she frantically began to pump his chest, rocking with every depression as another member of their company pressed his mouth against the teen's, breathing out.

After about a minute the young man gave a gasp of his own, and Bekah paused in her ministrations to press her fingers against his throat again. A pulse beat against them strong and true, and the teen continued to splutter. Turning him on his side into the recovery position, the girl tilted her head to look at Will and the other victim. "I think he's going to be okay," Bekah stated.

"Danny," the battered woman breathed, moving forwards with a gasp of pain to brush trembling fingers over her unconscious child's cheek.

...

Jack Fenton had had enough of falling through things. Since he had woken up he had fallen through practically every chair he sat in, and every few minutes a random part of his body would lose tangibility or visibility. Groaning, he hauled himself off the floor _again_ and reclaimed his seat between his wife and son's hospital beds.

Maddie watched with sparkling eyes, her mouth curved into a smile. She refrained from saying anything though, opting instead to reach for her husband's hand.

Will's company had been very professional with their rescue, escorting Maddie and Danny to the safety of the Thalassic hospital through a makeshift portal whilst two of the halfas collected security tapes from the GIW offices and sucked Vlad and his minions into a thermos.

When Maddie woke in the hospital, Jack and the clan leader had been at her side, and as soon as her muddled brain realised that Jack sent shivers wrapping around her spine the woman lost all composure. She was _furious_ , and tried to take out Asima then and there. It took Jack over an hour to get her to calm down, and by then Maddie's heart had broken at the level of her husband's sacrifice.

Maddie sighed, twining her fingers within Jack's and relaxing into the pillows. The machines attached to her via transparent tubes beeped and whirred, and the huntress brought her husband's hand to her face, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.

Although neither parent admitted it, they could taste each other's anxiety.

Danny lay in his bed with several tubes stuffed down his throat and more attached to his wrist – it had been five days and the teen had not yet woken up.


	16. Honeybee

After three more days Maddie was deemed fit to get out of bed. At the end of her second week she was discharged from the hospital. However, the woman only left when she needed to shower, eat, or sleep. All other time was spent by her comatose son's side. Jack was the same, and soon the nurses had learned to dodge around the chairs of the two hunters keeping vigil over their prone child.

One morning Maddie sat alone in the room, watching Danny's heartbeat on a monitor. She twined her fingers around his, and for the first time, an idea presented itself to her. Jack had gone back to her lair to rest, and no nurses were due in the room for the next fifteen minutes.

The woman closed her eyes to better concentrate, reaching towards her son with her mind. Due to his lack of experience the chance of success was unlikely, but Maddie knew that if she did reach him they would be able to communicate. After several tense moments of pressing against glass mirrors, Maddie found a small opening through which she could slip and enter the outermost layer of Danny's mind. She smiled softly at the sensation, and then the outer world fell away and all that existed was Maddie and Danny.

Danny's mind quickened somewhat, and Maddie felt a thought brush against her own. _What_ is _that?_ asked a very familiar voice.

_Danny?_ She cried mentally.

_**Mum?** _

Maddie felt euphoria explode from her own mind, coupled with Danny's relief. _Yeah, Sweetie, it's me._

_Wait a moment…_

The blackness shifted and suddenly Maddie was standing in a plain white room. Danny stood in front of her, grinning like a lunatic. "Mum!" he cried, leaping forwards and throwing his arms around her.

Maddie returned the hug, her body feeling light and almost wraithlike. She stroked Danny's somewhat insubstantial hair as he suddenly burst into tears, both halfas sinking to the floor without breaking their embrace. Danny buried his face in his mother's shoulder, sobbing brokenly. "H-how l-long have I b-been asle-eep?" He wailed.

"About four weeks," Maddie murmured.

Danny stiffened. " _What?_ " He pulled back, green eyes worried. "W-what's wrong with m-me?"

"We don't actually know yet. Your core needs to settle properly before we can run any scans, and that could take another three weeks. I thought you could hear us even though you're unconscious?"

Danny nodded, his voice growing calm as his tears slowed. "Yeah, but it all blurs together. I can't tell if it's been five minutes or five days, and I kinda slip in and out of dreaming. Speaking of hearing things, what's Dad done that had you so upset?"

Maddie sighed, shifting so that Danny was sitting in her lap, tail coiled around her waist and wings folded loosely as he twisted to face her. "Your father did a very brave thing, and it's going to change all of our lives forever."

Danny tensed. "What? _What happened?_ "

Maddie rubbed the spot where one of his wings joined to the shoulder blade. "Don't be angry, okay?"

" _What did Dad do?_ " Danny demanded, his voice rising in pitch as his hysteria mounted.

"He came to my clan for help, and in exchange agreed to let them permanently claim him."

"Wh-"

Maddie stopped trying to be vague. "Jack was turned into a halfa. Permanently."

"What?" Danny breathed, his tears returning at full strength. "N-no… Hhe didn't… He c-couldn't be… Oh, gosh…" he buried his face in Maddie's shoulder again, sobbing. "Why di-did he do that?" he cried.

Maddie rocked him in her arms tenderly. "He did it for us."

Danny didn't respond, grasping fistfuls of his mother's shirt and continuing to take huge, gulping sobs. Maddie began to hum, and Danny gradually quieted as she sang an old lullaby which had soothed him when he was a child. When she finished she kissed the top of his head, continuing to rock him in her arms. Danny sniffed before looking up at her again, his face streaked with tears.

"You don't need to be here all this time," he breathed.

"What?" Maddie gasped, leaning back to look at her son properly.

"I-I mean that you don't need to stay at the hospital all the time. This place belongs to your clan, right?" At Maddie's nod he continued. "Well, I'm safe here. And most of the time I'm unaware of what's going on out _there_." Danny flung out an arm before sighing. "It's making you really tired, and it's not fair to make you and Dad stay here when I can't even tell if you're there or not. Sure, I can sometimes hear people, but I can't _feel_ anything."

"But-"

Danny sighed again. "Go back to your lair, Mum. Get some rest. And…" he trailed off, glancing at her with hopeful eyes. "Do you think that you could visit me in _here_ again tomorrow?"

Maddie chuckled. "Yeah, sure. But how could you say that you don't know how to use telepathy when you can manifest a tangible space within your consciousness where others can interact with your mind?"

Danny blinked. "Pardon?"

"This!" Maddie gestured to the white room. "This is one of the most advanced telepathic techniques! You _must_ have been trained!"

Danny shook his head slowly. "Nah, I did it without thinking when I realised you were in my mind just then."

_Minimal training must have led to developing powers manifesting themselves in unusual ways, adjusting to meet his needs_ , Maddie shifted slightly in order to get into a more comfortable position, and Danny stood up. At his mother's pleading look he sighed.

"Go back, Mum. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Maddie got to her own feet. "Do you want me to bring your father?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," Danny choked, "please."

Giving her son one last hug and ruffling his snowy hair, Maddie returned her mind to her own body, opening her eyes to look upon the sleeping teen's face.

Only when she was in the safety of her own skin, where she was sure that Danny couldn't detect it, did Maddie allow herself to cry.

...

The President of the United States of America felt a little bit overwhelmed by his current guests. Three women stood directly in front of his desk, wearing matching grim expressions. The man had stood upon their appearance in his office, but despite his best efforts to greet them they had remained stonily silent. Their taciturnity was perfectly normal, and could almost be considered routine – what really unnerved the President was what he had witnessed during their previous visits, not that there had been many.

The woman on the right scared him the least, as she at least was human as far as the President knew – for all that she glared he assured himself that her glittering green eyes _wouldn't_ suddenly glow and shoot lasers out of them (not that that could be said about the others). Her presence actually calmed him somewhat, because whenever the Irish woman with red hair accompanied the President's supernatural visitors she managed to keep the others' threats and scary glowing eyes to a minimum.

The President had never met the woman standing on the left. She looked to be in her twenties, and her soft brown eyes only held a hint of steel as she appraised the man. Brown and red hair peeked out from beneath a baggy hat in short bangs, and she slouched slightly, thumbs hooked through the belt-loops of her jeans whilst her fingers curled around the hem of a blue tank top. She seemed nervous, and the President would have felt a pang of sympathy if not for the faint glowing silhouette of a white stag standing just behind her.

The final woman scared the crap out of the President, and in the past had reared her head in his nightmares – several times he had seen her tight auburn braid and level purple eyes that glittered with disdain turn white and blue in a matter of seconds. She was a woman who couldn't care less what he thought of her, and this most of all unnerved the President. He had had to put up with her 'visits' to his office ever since the two renowned ghost hunters Jack and Madeline had been married, and in turn had gained valuable insight through Wilhelmina into the lives of halfas living in his country. That didn't mean that he wasn't terrified of her.

Just when he debated breaking the silence, President Hartman's final guest arrived – a fourth figure appeared within his office with the faint scent of rain freshly falling onto dusty ground. This was who the others had been waiting for, and it was with a sense of relief that the President got to his feet to shake hands with the cloaked and glowing form of Asima Ashray.

"Madam Ashray, to what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked as graciously as he could.

The ghost threw back the hood of her cloak, levelling her own eyes at the man and motioning for him to be seated. "President Hartman, I am not about to beat around the bush and exchange pleasantries for the next five minutes. Hear us now, and hear us well." Her voice was commanding, and its tones rang with authority.

The President knew better than to speak now that his guests had begun to do so.

Wilhelmina was first. She recounted a tale of her nephew and sister being abducted and tortured by the Guys in White and Vlad Masters. The scientists had managed to turn themselves half ghost during that time, and it was only through the halfas' timely intervention that Madeline and Daniel were saved from being murdered. The human identity of Amity Park's somewhat reclusive haunter was finally made known to the President, and he found himself beginning to panic. _It can't be_ too _bad, can it?_

She paused at the end of her narration, glaring at the seated man with eyes that glowed palest blue. President Hartman shrank back slightly in his chair, and Will smirked before lowering her head and stepping back.

The woman with the stag stepped forwards next, recounting her findings as the head healer of the Thalassic Clan – autopsy wounds only hours old, pieces of core missing, vital organs severely damaged by poisonous gas, and the boy sporting permanent wings and a tail. All due to the meddling of the government organisation and one deranged billionaire. Her final detail left the President's mind reeling. _Danny Phantom in a coma thanks to_ my _organisation? Crap._

The slight Irish woman stepped forwards, and was the first out of the group's members to introduce herself. "My name is Kellie O'Hare, and I am the head of the Thalassic Clan's Guard. I guess you could call us a blend between police and military." At this she leaned forwards and planted her palms firmly on the table. "President Hartman, you have exactly six months from today to dissolve the organisation that is the Guys in White. We have their security tapes from their lab, along with photographs of the victims' damage should you need those as evidence, but no matter what we expect you to destroy this group of extremists and burn their laboratories. You may do as you wish with the humans of this organisation. Any ghosts in their custody are to be released into the Ghost Zone, and any agents who have been turned into halfas are to be turned over to us so they can be tried as halfas in our court.

"As for the seven scientists we have already arrested, along with Vlad Plasmius, they will never enter this world again. We have already imprisoned them in our highest security prison, and there they will stay for the next five hundred years. None of what I have just said is negotiable, and should Daniel die due to the damage dealt him, we shall take the human Guys in White from you and sentence them under our system as well. Do I make myself clear?"

President Hartman swallowed before nodding. "Crystal. But could I please have that in writing?"

...

After her conversation with Danny, Maddie was permitted one hour with the seven halfa scientists between their sentencing and their transferral to prison, as was the halfa custom. She gave them the beating of a lifetime, and even with all powers bound by the 'visitors' room' she managed to break every rib that each scientist had in their body so that their discomfort would be long-lasting and impossible to alleviate. They would heal at a natural, human rate, as the cells they would be living in bound ghost powers. The treatment they would receive would be minimal, just enough to keep them alive and relatively healthy.

Then came her hour with Vlad.

At Maddie's request the man was gagged with the same metal monstrosity which had been fitted into and over her own mouth. She then proceeded to beat him soundly, delighting in every hit that she landed. With her expert knowledge of human anatomy and martial arts, Maddie broke as many bones as she could. Her favourite moment was the final few seconds, when Vlad's gag had been removed – she elbowed him square in the side of the mouth, shattering his jaw.

Maddie limped from the room with fractured hands and feet, her knuckles split and dripping blood to the floor. She was grinning like a Cheshire cat and smiled for the rest of the day, occasionally breaking out in quiet chuckles.

...

"You _what?_ " Jack breathed.

Maddie nodded violently. "Yeah, I can speak to Danny using telepathy. And he wants you to join us."

Jack glanced at his son's serene face before returning his attention to Maddie. "And I have to be in ghost form for this to work?"

"Mhm." The woman reached across her son's form to take her husband's hand. "He wants to see you."

Jack glared at their intertwined fingers. "He really wants to see me like _this?_ " he asked with a hint of bitterness, summoning silver rings to wash over his body.

Maddie squeezed his hand. "What's wrong?" she breathed.

The hunter sighed, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "How can I face him? I'm a lousy father who couldn't save my own family, not to mention the fact that I'm a pathetic ghost hunt-"

Maddie captured his mouth in a kiss, leaning over Danny's prone form. Glowing tears began to run down Jack's cheeks and he sat still as his wife phased to his side of the bed, wrapping slender arms around him and turning into a ghost herself. She pulled away, seating herself on the floor at Jack's feet. Before he could so much as protest, Maddie slipped into her husband's mind.

Jack gave a small gasp, feeling his body go rigid as a sickening tugging sensation began between his eyes. Maddie's consciousness enfolded his, and the next thing Jack knew he had been dragged from himself with a lurch, the world turning black. After a second black turned to white, and the hunter found himself faced with none other than Danny Phantom.

...

Danny threw his arms around his bewildered father, recognising him instantly in that spectral body. "Dad!" he cried, burying his face in the crook of Jack's shoulder.

Jack hesitated for a moment before returning the hug, still feeling dizzy from the bizarre journey. "Danny-boy," he breathed, his voice echoing slightly thanks to his new half-ghost status.

Danny grinned, pulling away and wrapping his arms around his mother for several seconds. Breaking that embrace as well, Danny stood with gloved hands on hips, appraising his father's appearance. Jack shifted from foot to foot, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Hey," Danny murmured, stepping forwards and fisting beneath Jack's chin. "Chin up, Dad. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Jack mumbled incoherently before sinking to the floor, burying his face in shaking hands. Maddie sat beside him, motioning for Danny to join them. Danny sighed, throwing an arm around Jack's trembling shoulders.

The youngest halfa then looked towards his mother. "How?" he asked simply.

Maddie lowered her eyes. "It was the Reality Gauntlet."

Danny turned white and then clenched his teeth, hissing Clockwork's name. Maddie frowned, rubbing circles into his spine with the palm of her hand. Danny balled his hands into fists, clenching and unclenching gloved fingers. After several tense seconds he sighed and relaxed slightly, turning again to Maddie. "What happened to Vlad and the scientists?"

Maddie grinned, sharing the memory with Jack and Danny with a flick of her mind. Danny jumped slightly, whilst Jack yelped at the unexpected transmission of her recollections; Danny's mouth curved into a grin, and Jack chuckled quietly. "That's _beautiful!_ " the teen exclaimed, curving his tail up to loosely rest over Jack's shoulders.

The older man flicked his eyes towards his son's appendage, noting Danny's relaxed state and open, honest expression. Jack's own smile grew as he realised that since Danny had told them everything that had happened to him as Phantom, the teen had become more relaxed around his parents. He could finally be honest about his daily activities, and the pressure of hiding such a massive aspect of his life had been lifted from those young shoulders – Danny was now free to share his halfa life with his family, and obviously revelled in this freedom.

As Danny and Maddie began to discuss the sentencing of the Guys in White, Jack reached up to run his fingers over the bony half-spike tipping Danny's tail. The hunter's lips quirked wryly – he had always sought to build the ultimate weapon, to develop the one thing which would be able to attack any ghost it faced with precision and strength. To think that he had been so blind as to spend over a year trying to destroy the very thing which he had been striving so hard to create!

Danny was the _perfect_ weapon. Jack blinked, shaking his head slightly. No, Danny was the perfect _ghost hunter_ – he didn't even need an external arsenal to kick ghost butt. Well, perhaps the boy relied on the thermos as a containment device, but Jack was certain that when he developed the power to create portals and thus send his opponents to the Ghost Zone with a single shot, Danny would be the greatest ghost hunter that the world had ever seen. With the exception of the Ghostbusters, of course – Jack doubted that even Danny had fought a giant ghost of fiery marshmallows.

...

Danny waited until his father had calmed down before addressing the issue at the forefront of his mind. Quieting his mother with as look – she had been talking about the custom which had allowed her to beat the heck out of their tormentors – the teen turned to Jack. The hunter looked quizzically at his son, a lazy smile on his features. "Have you ever fought a marshmallow ghost on fire?" Jack asked.

Danny furrowed his brow, taken slightly aback by the sudden bizarre query. "I can't say that I have, but if I do I'll certainly invite you to join in."

Jack chuckled slightly, looping an arm around Danny's waist as the young man's tail tightened around his shoulders. "That's my boy," Jack murmured, his grin melting away at the mere thought of his own half ghost state.

"Dad," Danny said firmly, keeping his gaze on Jack's face, "don't feel bad about this." He gestured to Jack's ghostly form. "If anything, _I_ should be the one feeling bad about it – if I hadn't been so careless-"

"Stop," Jack breathed as the teen's voice rose in volume.

"-as to not notice the Guys in White sneaking up on me when I fought Vlad then they wouldn't have caught me and none of this would have happened!"

"No, stop," the hunter gasped as tears began to stream down Danny's face.

"You've suffered because of that, and I am so _grateful_ for your sacrifice. If not for me, you'd still be human, and-"

"Danny, _shut up!_ " Jack shrieked, tears spilling from his own eyes as he pulled his boy into a tight embrace. "It's not your fault, stop blaming yourself, it's not your fault, just stop, just stop…" the hunter repeated the last two words like a mantra, rocking the teen in his arms. Danny lost all composure, breaking down into huge, wrenching sobs as Jack continued to rock him, twisting his fingers in Danny's white hair. "Just stop," Jack breathed, swaying forwards and backwards repeatedly. "It's alright, it's not your fault, Danny. I promise that it's going to be alright, so please stop thinking it's your fault," he whispered into the top of his boy's head. "I _chose_ to let them turn me into this – I couldn't lose you or your mother."

...

Danny continued to sob, his body heaving with every breath. Maddie fisted her hands in her lap, refraining from offering comfort to her husband and son. This moment belonged to Danny and Jack, and she wasn't about to intrude.

Swallowing her own tears, Maddie swept her gaze over the bare white room. The corners had become lost in shadow as Danny's control of his emotions had dwindled. As she turned her gaze towards one such area the woman noticed shapes coiling within it – bursts of colour and light spiralled through the darkened areas, and the woman realised that these were her son's most emotional connections; everything he loved, feared and hated strained to spread from the seams at the corners of the room, working to engulf his mind and drag him away once again to dreams and nightmares.

She stepped forwards, hoping to get a better look. Unfortunately the exact shapes of whatever swirled within the darkness remained hazy. Maddie took another step, vainly hoping that this would cause the images to clear. She continued to stare into the dark crevice, drawn towards its secrets, and after an interminable amount of time a white-gloved hand snapped over her eyes. "Don't move any closer, or your mind'll become lost within mine," Danny breathed in her ear.

Maddie realised that she was standing with her arm outstretched, reaching in the direction of that darkness speckled with blurry figures. She dropped it back to her side, turning to face her son.

Danny removed his hand from her eyes, and seeing Jack standing in the middle of the room, Maddie realised that she must have moved right to the corner without noticing. Keeping her eyes away from the shadows within her sight, Maddie focused on Danny's tear-streaked face, allowing him to lead her back to Jack. She realised that she was shaking, and allowed her husband to enfold her within his arms.

Danny sighed, began to swear and then swallowed the second half of the vulgar phrase at the look on his father's face. "Mum, don't touch something in here if you don't know what it is! Heck, don't even go _near_ it! You should know from what I've told you that my mind holds horrors that would cripple most other people!" he shouted, clenching his fists and averting his eyes to gaze at the floor as he struggled to keep his temper in check.

Maddie stepped forwards primly, whacking her son across the cheek and trying to stop her hands from trembling. Danny yelped, jumping backwards to hover about a foot above the ground. "What was that for?" he cried, rubbing at the afflicted spot.

"I hear you swear like that again and I'll wash out your mouth with ecto-removal," Maddie threatened.

The teen sighed, touching his feet to the ground once more. "Sorry, but you really scared me just then."

Maddie wrapped her arms around him. "I know, and I'm sorry. I won't do it again," she whispered.

The darkness had spread further into the room, tendrils creeping along the white floor and through the clear air as though questing for something.

"Go on," Danny said quietly, pulling away from his mother.

Maddie shook her head. "I'm not leaving you here alone to face whatever _that_ contains!" she cried.

Jack placed large hands on her shoulders, looking at Danny with solemn grey eyes. " _We're_ not leaving you," the hunter rumbled, his voice slightly unfamiliar as his ghostly form leant echoes to it.

Danny began to laugh, his own voice echoing rather loudly. The laughter quickly escalated to border on hysterics and Danny doubled over, gasping for breath between helpless chuckles. "S-so you're n-not leaving me alone with my own mi-mind?" the halfa cackled, his feet leaving the floor as he rolled around in mid-air. His mirth died away when both parents stepped forwards, herded towards to middle of the room by the sudden approach of the blackness.

Maddie kneeled beside her son as he dropped to the floor; he was sitting with crossed legs and regarding the creeping darkness with an expression of indifference. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" she asked.

Danny nodded, grinning at both of his parents. "Don't worry, I'll see you when you visit tomorrow!" he chirped.

The last thing Maddie saw of Danny before she dragged herself and Jack back to their respective bodies was the teen waving cheerfully at her, his green eyes bright with an emotion she couldn't name.

When she opened her eyes phantom expressions flitted across the unconscious teen's face, indicating that he was already dreaming.


	17. Anomaly

Jazz sighed, flopping her exhausted body onto Jiremy's threadbare navy couch. That morning three major assignments had been due, and she had near about worked herself to death in order to complete them to perfection. The air simmered with the scent of something deliciously spicy, as Jim was cooking a 'surprise dinner' for his girlfriend, and she was forbidden from even approaching the kitchen. Rolling onto her stomach, Jazz fished under a cushion for the remote, turning on the television in the hope to catch the evening news.

"-and I'm sure that everyone will get along splendidly in their new home," the reporter announced, standing with a smile fixed on his face as a gaggle of waist-high children waved and beamed at the camera in front of a brand-new children's home.

Jazz aimed the remote, her finger poised over the button to change to her preferred news channel when she paused as the newsreader's clipped tone announced the next article, a large picture of Phantom projected onto the small screen behind the blonde woman. "That's fantastic, John. And now to the next story, about a very peculiar court case involving none other than Danny Phantom! We have little information concerning the case yet, but what details that have been confirmed are ones that should have every ghost hunter revising their hunting techniques.

"The government ghost hunting organisation known as the Guys in White has been disbanded as of last night, and this morning several prominent figures within that organisation have been involved in an emergency hearing which the press was unable to witness. However, some details have since been confirmed. These scientists are currently being tried for the kidnapping, torture, and the attempted murder of human-ghost hybrids Danny Phantom and Madeline Spirit."

Jazz gave a wordless cry, sitting upright and feeling her chest constrict as the newsreader continued. "All surveillance and weapons belonging to the Guys in White have since been destroyed, including the program spearheaded by a five-million dollar gun located in the town square of Amity Park. This poses the question – how many other hunters have unknowingly pursued half-ghosts, commonly referred to as 'halfas'? More on this story soon to come."

As the program cut to a commercial Jazz dropped the remote onto the cushion beside her, getting shakily to her feet. "Jim!" she shrieked.

Her boyfriend stumbled through the kitchen doorway, wiping his hands on the ridiculous apron that Maddie had insisted on giving to him when she found that he had a knack for cooking Thai. "What's wrong?"

Jazz realised that her hands were shaking and she shoved them into her pockets. "I have to go home. Right now."

"I'll drive you," Jiremy offered, fishing in his own pockets for his keys.

"No," Jazz exclaimed, "I have to go to Amity Park _right now!_ "

Jim frowned. "Honey, we were just there a few weeks ago. What's wrong?"

Jazz shook her head slightly, feeling her eyes fill with tears and reaching up to brush them away with trembling fingers. "Something's gone wrong with Mum and Danny – it was just on the news."

"Daniel or Dantè?" the man asked, reaching for his coat.

Jazz felt her shoulders begin to shake with unbidden sobs. "Does it matter?" she snapped. Jim recoiled with a hurt expression and Jazz mentally berated herself. "Both of them," she whispered.

"I'll still drive you," Jim offered.

Jazz shook her head violently. "It'll take too long. I've gotta catch a plane!" She dashed towards the door, only to find her way blocked by her boyfriend. Jim enfolded her in a gentle hug.

"Ssshhhhh, calm down," he whispered, stroking her hair. "Let me call Nathaniel – he'll be able to fly us there. Come and sit down; dinner's ready, and it'll help you to relax a bit, since he probably won't be ready to leave for a few hours."

Jazz sniffed. "What?"

"My older brother the pilot with his own little aeroplane? He can take us."

"Really?" she gasped.

"Really." He leaned forwards, kissing her gently on the corner of the mouth before turning away and reaching for his mobile.

...

Sam felt her heart lurch as she watched the news clip that Tucker had e-mailed her a link to. She sat in her seat numbly for several seconds before pouncing on the phone. Tucker answered on the second ring, and Sam didn't even give him a chance to talk. "FentonWorks, ten minutes," she commanded before hanging up.

She beat him there, and let herself in using the spare key hidden beneath the doormat.

On the day that Danny was supposed to come back to school, Sam and Tucker had ventured to FentonWorks during their lunch break. They had found the house empty, with the portal's power grid melted and the lab floor sticky in one spot with blood and ectoplasm. They had immediately assumed the worst and used the Specter Speeder to fly to Wisconsin and sneak into Vlad's empty mansion.

Using his portal, the two scanned the ghost zone for any real-world objects in the hope that they would fine something that would lead them to Danny, but there was nothing to be found; the only flaw with the system was that it didn't register items beyond a certain radius. They would have used the Boo-merang, but it was (once again) missing. The two friends had returned home, arriving at three in the morning to groundings and detentions.

The lab was the same as when Sam had last seen it, and she approached the broken portal, running her fingers across the useless power grid. Footsteps on the stairs made her turn around, and Sam found herself looking at Tucker. His dark skin appeared sickly in the fluorescent light, and he clattered off the steel steps and hurried across the room towards her, skirting the green and red smeared across the floor. "What is it?" he asked, a little too loudly for Sam's liking.

The Goth motioned towards the broken power grid. "If they're stuck _anywhere_ in the Ghost Zone, how are they going to get out? We have to fix this."

"Whoa, back up," Tucker cried, holding up his hands and taking a couple of steps back. "Remember what this thing can do to someone? And since we have no halfa DNA we'd be barbequed instead of developing awesome ghost powers!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "The inside switch will still be in the 'on' position, Einstein. Neither of us will even have to step _into_ the portal."

"H-how do you know it's on?" Tucker stuttered, lowering his hands and stepping forwards again.

Sam sighed in exasperation and walked around so she was standing just outside the portal's metal framework. "Look, you can see from here that it's depressed into the wall. According to Danny, it was sticking _out_ of the wall before he turned it on. Thus, sticking out is off and sticking in is on."

"If we fix this all the ghosts will start to come through again. What if Danny doesn't come back? We'll be left to deal with them!"

"He _will_ come back," Sam stated stubbornly. "The report said 'the kidnapping, torture, and _attempted_ murder'. He's not dead, Tuck. And even if he was, I don't think that Danny would let something as insignificant as death stop him from protecting his haunt and the people in it."

Tucker sighed and shrugged. "I guess you're right. But speaking of that report, do you think anyone will figure out that since Phantom's a halfa that his human half is Fenton?"

Sam swept past him, reaching for spare hazmat suits that she knew from past experience were stuffed in a drawer beneath the workbench. "I really hope not." She shoved a day-glow orange suit into Tucker's arms, taking the only blue suit for herself.

"Why do I have to wear the orange one?" he whined.

Sam flicked her shoulder-length hair back from her face, rummaging around the cluttered workspace and producing one of Jazz's headbands to keep it in place. "Because I don't do orange and I don't think you want to argue with me about this."

The young man shut his mouth and pulled the suit over his clothes, noting that it was probably the spare made for Danny as it actually fitted rather well. He turned to an already-dressed Sam, and together the teens began to collect the tools and other equipment required to repair or, if necessary, replace the busted power grid.

...

Kellie entered the office of Madam Ashray with a sense of dread. The halfa in question rarely entertained humans, and this alone gave the slight Irishwoman reason to fret. She stepped over the threshold, bowing at the waist before sinking to kneel on the floor, keeping her eyes respectfully averted.

Asima sighed, moving to stand directly in front of the woman. "Rise, Ms. O'Hare. I have a task for you to complete with the utmost care."

Kellie got to her feet and clasped her hands behind her back, trying to hide the fact that they were shaking. "I live to serve you, Madam," she murmured.

The white-clothed woman raised a delicate eyebrow of the palest blue imaginable. "Why else do you think that I chose you for this task? Ms. O'Hare, you are a human born to halfa parents. This task requires a human such as yourself to pass through a portal into the living world, and from there take up temporary residence in the home of Madeline and Jack Fenton. You are to attend the town meeting scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, and do anything within your abilities to convince the townspeople that Daniel Phantom and Madeline Spirit should be left alone when they return. Stress the point that it is nobody's business what the identities of these two halfas are.

"Alicia Deveraux, Madeline's human sister, is currently travelling to Amity Park and shall arrive tomorrow morning. She will aid you in your mission. Your deputy shall take charge of your duties within the Ghost Zone whilst you are in the humans' realm, and I do not expect you to return here until the Fentons have recovered and returned to their home in Amity Park. You shall send me a report every week. Do you have any questions?"

Kellie raised her emerald eyes. "When do I leave?"

Asima smiled slightly. "Immediately."

...

Cyril Elwood frowned, crossing slender arms over her chest and clearing her throat. Maddie jumped, looking up from her book with tired eyes. In the bed next to her a young man with a shock of white hair lay unconscious, and the head healer felt her heart tug at the mother's obvious anxiety. The tubes had been removed from the teen the day beforehand, and he was now only connected to a saline drip and heart monitor – in everything else the boy could now hold his own.

"We have your scan results," Cyril sighed.

Maddie's eyes brightened, darting to the ghost stag behind the woman before returning to her face. "And?"

The healer approached Danny, pressing a gentle hand against his forehead to check his temperature and tugging with the other hand at the hem of her scrubs. "Danny's not going to wake up until his body has the strength to completely flush out the toxin. However, he has little strength remaining in his limbs, and some areas of his body have large deposits of this toxin which cannot be removed without help."

Maddie was on her feet in an instant. "Tell me what to do."

Cyril shook her head. "Begging your pardon, but you're still too weak to do anything. Wilhelmina has agreed to offer her services for this."

Maddie resumed her seat, grinning as her sister entered the room. "Morning, Will!" the huntress chirped.

Wilhelmina smiled slightly. "Morning," she sighed, approaching Danny's prone form.

At Cyril's quiet word, Will placed her hands on the mutilated skin above Danny's heart. The scars were thick and rough beneath her fingers, and the woman felt her gut clench in fury. Pausing in order to allow her mind to settle, the woman pushed a large portion of her own strength into her nephew's frail body, pulling her hands away with a gasp. She staggered a step backwards and Maddie quickly stood, pressing Will into the chair and offering her a glass of water.

A shuddering gasp came from the direction of the bed.

...

The first thing Danny heard was a beeping machine, and for a panicked moment he thought that he was still imprisoned by the Guys in White. His eyes flickered open, the bright fluorescent lighting making him squeeze them shut again instantly. Danny moaned and tried to move, but his limbs felt like jelly – he was too weak to even use his arms to push himself into a sitting position.

Danny rubbed at his stinging eyes, cracking them open once again as gentle hands pressed against his shoulders to hold him in place. He tried to speak, but his voice rasped and died in his throat, producing nothing more than a pathetic wheezing.

"Danny, can you hear me?"

The teen forced his eyes open at that familiar voice, squinting up at his mother. Maddie's face split into a grin and she grasped his hand, squeezing gently. Danny squeezed back and tried again to sit up, a gasp slipping past his lips as his underworked muscles protested and the hands at his shoulders pushed him back down into the pillows.

"Mum?" he breathed, head swimming and throat dry.

"Hi, Sweetie," Maddie murmured, tightening her grasp on his hand.

Danny tilted his head forwards slightly, taking in two more women and a glowing silver stag. Moaning, he laid his head back and shut his eyes again. "Can someone please get me a glass of water?" the teen rasped.

A moment later his head was supported and the rim of a glass pressed against his mouth. Danny drank greedily, his utter helplessness and reliance on those around him making him feel weak and slightly embarrassed. He opened his eyes again, squinting past his mother to look at the people beyond her. The one with the auburn braid sent him a wan smile, leaning forwards in her seat and reaching out to brush the back of his hand with slim fingers. Her resemblance to Maddie was striking, and Danny furrowed his brow, opening his mouth to ask whom she was.

"Can you turn human?" the short-haired woman in plan blue scrubs asked.

Danny didn't waste his breath – he summoned up the transformation rings, feeling his heart falter within his chest and smirking as the machines began to sound the alarm. The lights travelled along his body, turning green to blue and white to black. Danny blinked and took a deep breath once the rings disappeared, feeling the density of his human form settle around his core. An instant calm washed over him, and the teen relaxed with a contented sigh as strength began to slowly seep into his limbs.

The woman with the braid cocked an eyebrow. "Nice to know what my nephew actually looks like," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Danny bolted into a sitting position, dimly registering that the pain had reduced to nothing more than a dull ache. " _What?_ " he cried.

...

Wilhelmina generally didn't like people younger than her, and was at first slightly irked when Maddie left her in the hospital room, leaving in search of food and Jack. However, sitting beside Danny's bed as he joked with her and told stories about his adventures in the real world, the woman found that her nephew was already growing on her. She took in the details – the fine scars that spider webbed over his lips and rippled across his chin and cheeks, the thick rope of skin slashed across his face, several chunky ridges wrapping around his throat. Every scar she asked about seemed to be connected to an entertaining story, and the teen's cerulean eyes were bright as his hands moved through the air in animated gestures.

Cyril ducked in and out of the room, hovering over the young man and taking several samples from the crook of his elbow. Danny tensed up each time, gripping his aunt's hand and screwing his eyes shut as the needle came into sight. Neither woman pressed him for details, but his fear was tangible as it buzzed in the air.

He broke down when the healer produced a needle for the fifth time, tears brimming in his sapphire eyes and running down scarred cheeks. "P-please, no more needles," he pled.

"We need to keep checking the levels of toxin in your system," Cyril explained gently. "If there was any other way I'd do it."

Danny shook his head, screwing his eyes shut and pulling away from Cyril's touch. "N-no more!" he wailed, pressing himself against the head of the bed and pulling his knees up to his chest, hugging them close.

Will got to her feet and sat on the edge of the bed, placing tentative arms around the teen's trembling shoulders. Danny leaned into her embrace, burying his face in her neck and wrapping his tail around her waist. Glancing towards the healer, Will nodded slightly as the young man extended a shaking arm.

Cyril was as gentle as she could be, but Danny still tensed and shook, his tears streaming down his aunt's bare skin and soaking the fabric of her shirt. Once the healer retreated, Wilhelmina gently tried to pull away and return the teen to his bed. However, at the first sign of movement Danny snaked his arms around his aunt's torso, holding onto her tightly as he continued to cry.

They stayed like that for the next hour, in which two more samples were taken and Danny became quite hysterical. Will doubted that she had ever been quite so relieved to see her sister and brother-in-law enter a room – at least Maddie knew what to do when children cried.

...

"Are we done yet?" Tucker moaned, spinning slightly in the office chair that he had been exiled to by an irate Sam after dropping a spanner on her foot for the third time.

The young woman rolled her eyes and didn't answer, focusing on screwing the panel back onto the side of the Fenton Portal.

"We've been here for almost eight hours, and it's five in the morning!" Tucker wailed, spinning faster. "I'm dying of hunger here!"

Sam continued to ignore him, fixing the final screw into place and giving the screwdriver a twirl.

"Can I at least get off the chair?" the young man whined, spinning even faster. "I've been here for the past ten minutes and it's so boriaaaaah!" Tucker screeched, his wild rotations causing the chair to teeter and fall onto its side, sending him sprawling onto the lab floor.

Sam smirked, turning to face the disgraced figure and bowing mockingly as the portal flared to life behind her. "The deed is done, most noble sir," she drawled. "Shall we venture upstairs for a feast of instant ramen and flat lemonade?"

"Boohyah! Food, here I come!" Tucker exclaimed at the top of his lungs, leaping to his feet and racing up the stairs. Sam sighed, glancing towards the portal before turning to pick up the tools and remove her hazmat suit. They would leave the portal open – Valerie would be able to handle the majority of ghosts that came through. Righting the office chair, Sam clunked up the winding staircase, leaving the lab behind and following the smell of burning instant noodles.

...

Kellie arrived at FentonWorks as the sun rose, and was met with two teenagers sleeping in the living room. A girl with dark hair and clothes was curled like a cat in an armchair, her face serene and eyelids fluttering lightly. The boy had the woman raising her eyebrows – he lay with his feet on the couch and his body twisted in blankets on the floor, and from what Kellie could see he was swathed in a bright orange hazmat suit and snored loudly.

Deciding not to bother either teen, the Irishwoman breezed through to the kitchen, finding a mess of instant noodles and lemonade bottles strewn across one end of the table, whilst the other end held a single empty bowl with chopsticks placed daintily across the rim. Judging from the two sleeping figures, Kellie could easily guess who had been seated where. Skirting the mess left by the boy, the redhead helped herself to cereal and ate it dry when she noticed the state of the fridge's contents. That done, she cleaned the entire kitchen and seated herself primly at the table, flicking nonchalantly through a copy of _Scientific American_ which had been left on the counter.

When Alicia arrived half an hour later, the teens were still asleep. It wasn't until a hysterical Jazmine and her exhausted boyfriend burst through the door at midday that either of the two intruders roused from their slumber and explained what exactly they had been doing in the Fentons' home.

...

The Amity Park town meeting was loud and uncomfortable in Kellie's point of view – a giant room filled with squabbling adults as the children were dumped into a massive playpen outside. _Nothing_ was this disordered in the Ghost Zone! As the mayor screamed orders into the microphone and muttered insults and swear words into his double chin, the woman wondered how in the Ghost Zone she would be able to fulfil her mission. After several false starts and raucous disagreements amongst the assembled citizens, the meeting finally began.

After about an hour of red-faced adults snatching the microphone from each other and demanding to know what was going on, Kellie finally managed to make her way to the stage. " _Why_ are you so fixed on this?" she demanded. The entire hall fell silent at the woman's acidic tone, and Kellie took the opportunity to continue speaking. "Does the identity of Phantom really matter _that much_ to you? Will it seriously change your lives if you know the name of the kid that sacrifices so much for you every single day? Leave the poor guy alone – Phantom and his family have enough to deal with without you people bothering them. You owe him your lives for goodness' sake, so give it a rest already!"

A stillness stole over the room, and several of the assembled townspeople bowed their heads in shame. One balding, pot-bellied man near the front hoisted himself onto the stage, standing next to Kellie and facing the crowd. "She's right," he said quietly, the microphone in Kellie's hand catching his voice and projecting it through the speakers. He raised his eyes to the group before him, his voice rising in volume. "Damn it, she's right!" he cried, beginning to move his arms wildly. "You all know me – I teach your children! I can't even imagine how guilty I'd feel if one of my _students_ was Danny Phantom! Honestly, can you imagine every day seeing this kid in the street and feeling your heart clench as you notice his black eyes or split lip?"

At this the man faltered and swallowed, realisation blooming across his features. "Damn it…" he choked before raising his voice once again. "Could you look him in the eye and know that his injuries were caused protecting _you?_ This isn't an emotionless ghost; this is a kid of flesh and blood who risks his life daily for us! Do you honestly think he'd be glad to realise that we're all here, trying to figure out his identity and rob him of the only privacy he has?

"Even if he has the powers of a ghost, he's still half human. Half is good enough for me, and I'll respect his rights. If any of you have any heart whatsoever, you'll treat him with the respect and dignity that every human being deserves."

The man nodded to Kellie before jumping off the stage and returning to the still and silent crowd, pushing towards the doors.


	18. Dissolution

Sam entered the house to find her parents waiting for her. Jeremy and Pamela were seated on the plush cream-coloured couch, with the television off. Three glasses of water sat on the elegant coffee table, and as Sam seated herself on the couch between her parents she realised that something serious must have happened.

Jeremy sighed, passing a hand over his face. "We're not stupid, Sam," he groaned.

Pamela gripped her daughter's hand. "Why did you hide this from us, Sammikins?"

Sam found that her breathing had quickened, and she squirmed between her parents, trying to reclaim her hand from her mother. "What did I do _this_ time?" she demanded in that special tone of derision reserved only for her parents and, occasionally, Paulina.

Jeremy sighed before speaking quietly, his voice dull and expressionless. "At the town meeting today, everyone finally decided to leave the ghost boy alone because he's half human and deserves privacy. But something Mr. Lancer said got us thinking."

Sam felt her heart freeze. "What are you saying?" she whispered.

Pamela squeezed her hand gently. "Mr. Lancer gave a powerful speech about leaving Phantom to live his life in peace after all he has done for us, but we realised that we _do_ see a teenager walking around every day covered in bruises and small cuts, and our own daughter's dating him."

Sam stiffened, her breathing unsteady and her fingers tightening around her mother's hand. "Please," she whispered, horrified at the tears that were running down her cheeks, "just leave him alone."

...

Tucker was roused from his afternoon nap by the front door slamming. Mumbling to himself, he rolled over in a bid to get more comfortable, forgetting that there was no room to do so on the couch. He fell to the floor in a graceless heap, fumbling for his glasses.

"Tucker," his mother called from the kitchen.

The teen frowned – was her voice shaking? "Coming," he called, picking himself up and jamming his glasses onto his nose. It was time for his three o'clock feeding, anyway.

He entered the kitchen to find Maurice ushering a pale-faced Angela into a chair. Both looked towards their son with horrified expressions, and Tucker wordlessly seated himself, wondering what could possibly be going on.

Maurice fingered his moustache, opened his mouth to speak and then closed it without a word. Tucker fidgeted in his chair, looking from one parent to the other and finding to his horror that both of them had started to cry.

" _What's wrong?_ " Tucker exclaimed, moving to stand up. His father motioned him back down, tears glistening in teal eyes and running down sable cheeks. The teen felt panic rise in his chest – he had never seen his parents look so utterly _broken_ before.

"Why didn't you tell us, Tuck?" the man whispered.

"Tell you what?!" Tucker shouted.

Both parents flinched, and Angela began to speak. "You come home with cuts and bruises all the time, you're often late for things or getting home past curfew, at night you sometimes sneak out, and in the past we've found ectoguns in your room!" she wailed.

Tucker had a faint idea where this was going, and it made him feel sick to the stomach. "Just let me expla-"

Maurice silenced the teen with a look. "Why, Tucker? _Why_ didn't you tell us that you're the ghost boy?" the man demanded; there was a moment of silence as his words sunk into the teen's stunned brain.

Tucker couldn't help himself – he doubled over, laughing hysterically. "Y-y-you think I-I'm… Y-you… oh, hahaha!"

Both parents started at this unexpected reaction, Angela getting to her feet and navigating around the table to approach her son. "Then explain those cuts and bruises, young man!" she cried, her voice strengthening as she jabbed Tucker in the chest.

The teen continued to chuckle, wiping at his eyes beneath his glasses. "You were so close," he cackled, "s-so c-close." Without elaborating further, Tucker dissolved into hysterical chuckles once again, clutching his sides and rocking back and forth in his chair as he was reduced to silent laughter, struggling to breathe through his mirth.

Angela's eyes widened at the implications of her son's words, suddenly wishing that she had remained in her seat – she felt the world teeter around her as she turned to Maurice.

The man gulped, placing a hand on their son's shoulder. "Tuck, are you telling us that Danny Fenton is Phantom?"

Tucker's laughter disappeared in a heartbeat.

...

Danny rolled over in bed, screwing his eyes shut and vainly trying to swallow his screams. He had been discharged from the hospital late that evening, and was now at his mother's lair, trying to get some sleep. He had already been woken by three nightmares, and every time he began to doze a fourth would begin, jolting the snoozing teen awake.

Giving up, Danny slipped out of bed and began to pace the room, lamenting the lack of windows. After a moment he rolled his eyes, phasing his head through the wall and breathing in the air of the Ghost Zone.

This simply made his mood worse – the air was stale and stuck in the back of Danny's throat, so unlike the night air back at home that he pulled his head back through the wall in disgust, throwing himself onto the bed with a muffled curse and fisting his fingers in messy black hair.

The teen rolled onto his back and sat up, trying to control the sobs that were rising in his throat. In a bid for cool air, he spun an orb of ice around himself, floating in the middle and allowing a dusting of fine crystals to cover his skin. Danny's breath puffed out in front of him and he sighed in relief, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. The halfa closed his eyes and rocked gently back and forth, tears beginning to slip down his cheeks as images of needles and scientists flickered behind his eyelids; it was always in the first few weeks after a traumatic experience that the nightmares were at their worst.

Danny would have given anything for a fly through the crisp night air at that moment, burying his face in his knees with a sob as he continued to rock within his fragile orb of spun ice.

...

Maddie woke with a scream, sitting up abruptly and flailing against the covers. Jack cracked his eyes open blearily, reaching blindly in the dark for his wife and pulling her back down to lie beside him. He tenderly wrapped her shaking body in his arms, fitting her curves snugly against his own. "Sshhhhh," the man soothed, running his fingers through her short hair. Maddie trembled against him, clutching the front of his pyjama shirt and burying her sobs in the lightweight material.

Jack held his wife tenderly, waiting until her breathing evened out and her limbs relaxed into slumber once more before allowing himself to doze off again. Nightmares had plagued Maddie since her incarceration by the Guys in White, and the oftentimes boisterous man found himself struggling every night not to march over to that prison and tear apart the monsters that had done this to her.

Another scream rent the air, and Jack glanced at his sleeping wife before realising that the tortured sound belonged to Danny. Gently extricating himself from the embrace so as not to wake Maddie, Jack slipped his feet into fluffy slippers and cracked the phase proof door open. Immediately Anthony swept past his feet, leaping onto the bed and settling beside his sleeping mistress with a purr.

Jack rolled his eyes at the hopelessly devoted ghost cat before continuing into the dark hallway, feeling his way across to Danny's room. He opened the door and slipped through the gap, squinting in the lamplight.

An orb of opaque spun ice floated above the bed, and Jack immediately leaped into action, fearing for Danny's wellbeing. Hoisting the chair away from the desk, Jack swung it through the air with surprising strength. The orb shattered upon impact, flooding the room with freezing air and revealing a human Danny floating with his knees pulled up to his chest, his frame rocking back and forth as it shook with sobs. The teen looked up at the destruction of his carefully-crafted sanctuary, his eyes softening at the sight of his father.

"D-Dad…" Danny choked, descending to sit on the bed, continuing to hug his knees to his body.

Jack sat next to his boy, careful of the wings as he wrapped Danny in a bone-crushing hug. The teen took a shuddering breath before pressing his nose into the crook of his father's neck, breathing in the warmth and fatherly concern. It made him feel safe.

"C-can you stay with me?" Danny whispered once his father released him. "It'll keep the nightmares away." Jack raised an eyebrow, but joined Danny as he lay back down on the double bed.

The young halfa snuggled against his father's chest, closing his eyes and breathing a sigh of relief. Jack reached up to turn off the bedside lamp, and father and son quietly fell asleep in each other's arms.

...

Over breakfast Maddie demanded to see Danny's ghost form. The teen obliged without looking up from the copy of _War of the Worlds_ that he had snatched from one of the bookshelves that lined almost every room and hallway of the lair, absentmindedly shovelling cereal into his mouth. Maddie scowled at the black shirt emblazoned with the DP insignia that Danny had insisted on wearing – he already stood out like a sore thumb, and if he was to mingle with the members of his new clan over the next few days, Danny was told that he really should ditch the hazmat until he returned to Amity Park. Maddie sighed. "Get rid of the illusion, too." At Danny's squawk of protest she levelled her eyes at him, and the teen reluctantly allowed the illusion to melt from his skin, revealing the full extent of his scars.

"Can I at least hide my wings and tail?" he whined, keeping them invisible and intangible.

Maddie nodded, snatching the book from her son. Danny reached for it with a pained sound and the woman smirked, shutting the novel before placing it next to her husband's bowl and well out of Danny's immediate reach. Jack eyed the book for a moment before shrugging and returning to his food.

"Danny, listen to me," Maddie commanded gently. Her tone immediately caught the young halfa's attention, and he turned his face towards her, glowing green eyes bright and attentive. "Don't do anything stupid, okay? You're not used to being around halfas your age, and they can sometimes behave quite differently from the humans you're used to." Danny tilted his head, opening his mouth to speak but closing it wordlessly after a handful of heartbeats. "Do not show your extra limbs or mention that you are immature unless I have already done so," the woman cautioned.

"Why?" Danny queried, his nose scrunching up as Jack knocked over the pitcher of milk. The large hunter began to clean the mess, straining to hear his wife's answer.

"The people here have some weird ideas," Maddie sighed. Danny chuckled slightly at this, but refrained from speaking. "There is a certain way that things are done, and a halfa can be shunned if they do things differently. Since you're immature and your training is patchy at best and non-existent at worst, you run a high chance of being mistreated because-"

"Because I'm different," Danny interrupted, rising to rinse his bowl. "What else is new, hm?"

Maddie frowned. "You didn't drink your ectoplasm."

The teen shifted uncomfortably. "Where do you get it from?"

"The Tellurian Clan oversees a huge forest of spectral trees – they get the ectoplasm from those, like maple syrup. Where did you _think_ … Oh, _Danny._ " She shook her head with a small smile. "Surely you haven't…"

The boy shuddered. "It's how Vlad gets _his_ ectoplasm," he reminded her, "and the Fruitloop was the only halfa I had to guide me. There were a few mishaps, and I nearly starved to death over and over for the first three months, but I think Clockwork took pity on me – he told me that ectopusses aren't the spirits of dead creatures, but rather the impressions of abandoned hopes and dreams. It made me feel a bit better about eating them…"

Maddie motioned to the glass that she had poured for him. "You need at least one glass of this a day, so drink up."

Danny glared, sat, and pressed the rim to his lips. The ectoplasm was delightfully cold, but thick and viscous with a consistency somewhere between thickened cream and honey. He swallowed it all in a couple of gulps, licking the residue off his lips and sucking it from his teeth contentedly. "This is really sweet," he admitted. "Usually, ectoplasm's got an unpleasant acidity."

"That's because the stuff from trees isn't imbued with bitter emotions," Maddie offered as Jack sculled his own glass of glowing green liquid.

The teen leaned back comfortably in his chair, eyes flicking to Anthony as the cat sauntered through the door and demanded with a yowl to be picked up. Danny did so, settling the white feline on his lap and stroking tenderly behind its ears. "I thought we weren't allowed pets since Dad always manages to poison them or accidentally blow them up," Danny said slyly, glancing at his mother.

Maddie's lips quirked as Jack spluttered at the accusation. "Anthony is _not_ a pet," she stated firmly. The cat yowled as if in agreement, lightly kneading Danny's thighs before settling once again.

"Well whatever he is, can I have one?" Danny asked hopefully.

The woman smiled. "That's where we're going second."

"What?" Danny breathed as Jack knocked over the cereal box in surprise. "Where are we going first?"

Maddie's smile turned to a grin. "Every ghost needs a lair, don't they?"

...

Danny hovered in the empty space of the Ghost Zone, about one hundred metres from the door to his mother's lair. Maddie placed her hands on his shoulders, and the younger halfa gulped, trying to contain his excitement. "So what exactly are we doing?" he asked.

Maddie smiled, her eyes sparkling. "We're making you a lair. Do you want it here, or closer to the Fenton Portal?"

Danny shrugged. "May as well have it here – then I have an excuse to practise teleportation. But why isn't Dad making a lair as well?"

The woman chuckled. "When halfas get married, their lairs usually combine into one. Since your father is already married to me, he doesn't need a lair of his own – he can simply add some rooms onto mine."

"But what about his grave?" Danny queried.

Maddie sighed. "Madam Ashray had to move the bit of carpet from her office into mine and Jack's lair – your Father was driven unconscious in the process."

Danny winced empathetically before motioning to the space before him. "Soooo, how does this work?"

The huntress passed a glowing hand over the teen's eyes and he shuddered, gasping as his body stiffened and was surrounded by emerald light. Maddie plucked an ivory hair from his head, throwing it into the space before them, where it exploded in a nebula of light which occupied a chunk of the Ghost Zone in front of them.

Danny yelped as his body moved against his will, glowing hands reaching out to mould the fabric of the Ghost Zone into a black door spangled with glittering pinpricks of light, reminiscent of the night sky. The young man pulled back, his hands gently steaming and every hair standing on end. He reached out in wonder, bare fingers lightly grazing the surface before beginning to sink through the painted stars.

Danny frowned, pulling his tangible fingers back towards himself. His confused expression made Maddie laugh out loud, and she gently explained that a door in the Ghost Zone does not have to open for its master to pass through it. Danny scrunched up his nose in concentration, reaching out and firmly grasping the handle before swinging the door wide and stepping over the threshold.

He stepped into a vacant white space, not unlike the place in his mind where he spoke with his parents. Danny turned back to Maddie as she entered the lair, a question forming on his lips. "Why is it like this?"

Maddie smiled. "It's a blank canvas. You may make whatever you wish of it."

Danny grinned. "Now?"

"There's time for that later – come on, we're expected."

"Expected where?" Danny queried, only to turn and find that his mother had already left the empty lair.

...

Danny looked about him in wonder as his parents towed him through a featureless black door into what looked to be a brightly-lit pet store. However, the only things 'in stock' were glowing animals, and instead of cages they simply roamed through the area, interacting with each other peacefully and squealing in delight.

A young man with a shock of white hair looked up from the book he was reading at the counter, using his index and middle fingers to push square-framed spectacles back up his nose. He peered through the lenses with eyes that glowed dark red, leaping into the air with a grin when he recognised the huntress. "Maddie!" he cried, lifting her up by the waist and twirling her through the air as though she were still a child.

Maddie laughed, her green eyes shining with delight as the man set her back onto her feet. She threw her arms around his shoulders, pecking him on the cheek affectionately. "Long time no see, James."

Danny stared at the man after whom he had been named. He was tall and lithe, with a sparkling smile and dancing eyes. When he grinned at Danny, the teen found himself smiling in return. "And who might these be?" James asked, tilting his head to one side.

"This is my husband, Jack, and our son, Danny," Maddie said hurriedly. "Jack, Danny, this is my Uncle James."

James extended a hand towards each of them, and Danny dutifully shook it, surprised by how firm the man's handshake was. "Danny or Daniel?"

"My full name is Daniel James Fenton, but just call me Danny."

The spectre glanced at Maddie, surprise evident on his face. "Madeline, I'm flattered. But surely…"

"You were more of a father to me than he was," the woman stated, her tone screaming for her uncle to just drop it.

James took the hint, placing the book delicately on the counter before sweeping his arms wide, gesturing towards the room. "Take your pick, boys."

Jack grinned and leaped forwards, immediately bending down within a circle of glowing creatures. Danny shuffled his feet, looking between his three relatives. "What are we doing?" he asked.

Maddie chuckled, placing an arm lightly around her son's shoulders as James began to explain. "Halfas need companionship, Danny. To learn telepathy properly you must be able to communicate with all kinds of creatures. In addition, the creature that chooses you today will be a friend that will never leave you. This is a gift given to every halfa, usually within their first five years of life. Your companion will also guard your lair if you wish it."

Danny tilted his head quizzically. "The creature that _chooses me?_ "

James nodded. "That's right. You really have no say in the matter."

"That is _so_ Harry Potter," he mumbled, flushing when James gave a bark of surprised laughter. "And how do I know that one has _chosen_ me?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "You'll know its name."

"Hm." Danny looked towards his mother at the sound. "You should probably show your true features straight up," she murmured. "They won't trust you otherwise."

Danny allowed his wings and tail to flicker into visibility, pointedly ignoring James' sharp intake of breath. Maddie shoved him lightly in the small of the back and the teen hesitantly stepped forwards, approaching the spot where his father sat.

Jack was scratching a sleek black ferret behind the ears, and the creature started to leap about in circles, dooking excitedly. The hunter breathed in sharply. "Eliza," he murmured, and the ferret went mad, twirling even faster as its glow brightened. Jack grinned, lifting the excited animal off the floor of compacted dust and cradling her in his arms.

No animals approached Danny.

After several circuits of the room and nothing to show for it, the teen threw up his hands and returned to his family. "I guess today isn't a good day," he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and feeling rather disappointed.

James shook his head. "No. There is _always_ a match waiting."

"I've been around this room three times!" Danny exclaimed.

His great-uncle smirked. "This room is predominantly for the young ones that come in, since the creatures here are fairly common and easy to care for. Our _endangered_ species are in the adjoining room. Come." He moved gracefully, ushering the three Fentons through a white door and into a room smaller than the last – it held only a handful of animals, and they were all silent, keeping as far from each other as possible.

Danny glimpsed the familiar shapes of snakes coiled together in a corner beneath a lamp, and a panther crouched on a soft white rug nearby, its slitted golden eyes watching the intruders carefully. Other figures weren't so familiar, and had Danny drawing in a sharp breath – a foal with feathered tawny wings contentedly rolled in the dust, a bird cloaked in feathers that flickered like flames preened upon its perch, and a griffin lazed in the middle of the room.

Danny's eyes were immediately drawn to the tiny creature caged at the back of the room, and he strode towards it, reaching to touch the metal bars.

James uttered a squawk of protest, hurrying after the teen. "Not the caged ones, Danny. They require an immense amount of attention, and can only be tamed by masters of the art. They are not suitable as companions!"

Danny glared at him before slipping his hand through the bars and fondling the blue-eyed dragonling behind its finned ears. The creature in turn butted his hand with the hard nubs that would one day grow to form horns. "This is the one," he stated simply.

James twittered, fluttering his hands through the air before stilling as his eyes fell upon his great-nephew's additional limbs. "How would you care for him?" the man demanded.

Danny turned back to the mewling creature. "Keep him with me at all times."

The older halfa faltered. "W-what?"

Danny sighed, continuing to stroke the animal. "I think I know how to deal with dragons. Besides meeting several in the past, I've found that since I've been stuck with _these_ –" he flexed his wings and swished his tail for emphasis – "my personality has changed somewhat; I've become really clingy and protective. Would you truly deny this creature the love that he so desperately craves?"

James sighed. "Tell me his name and he's yours to take."

The teen smirked before gazing at the infant dragon. "He is Sebastian."

At his words the dragon trilled, wrapping its tail around Danny's thumb in a very familiar movement. James unlocked the phase proof cage with a silver key, and Danny took the foot-long creature into his arms carefully.

Sebastian settled immediately, his glowing white scales peppered with electric blue spots along the tail, spine, and the top half of his head. "How big will he grow?" Danny asked quietly.

"You assume that he's alive," James murmured as they began to cross the room.

Danny nodded. "You said that the creatures in here are endangered, and Sebastian's got a heartbeat."

James inclined his head. "All the creatures here have ghost powers, but are not dead. They only have one form though – ghost-powered humans such as ourselves are the only ones with the ability to change forms. As for your new companion, he is a breed that only grows to about five feet long from snout to tail spike."

They reached the door where Danny's parents waited. Maddie cooed at the creature cradled in her son's arms, but refrained from moving to touch the dragon. Jack wasn't so smart – he reached towards Sebastian with a grin, only to have the baby hiss and squeal and snap at his fingers. At this Maddie laughed outright, explaining quietly to Jack that any new companion, including Eliza, requires several hours to bond with their halfa before they will allow themselves to be touched by another.

Danny continued to stroke Sebastian absentmindedly, turning his own wings invisible as he thanked James and followed his parents into the Ghost Zone.

...

After that, it was straight to the hospital for a final check-up. As Cyril ran glowing hands gently over his body, Danny allowed Sebastian to perch shakily on his left shoulder, wrapping the dragon's tiny tail around his ear in order to maintain balance. Miniscule talons lightly pricked the teen's skin through his shirt, and Danny fought back to urge to laugh at the absurdity of the entire situation.

His amusement died as the healer produced a needle, and Danny tensed, pulling away from her touch with a frightened cry. Sebastian, sensing his companion's distress, reared up and flexed his wings, growling in the back of his throat.

Cyril sighed, conjuring up several glowing lights that floated between herself and the teen, cloaking the items she held. Danny was trying to calm the tiny creature on his shoulder, and as he did so, Cyril used her illusions to mask her actions. Danny had no clue what she was doing until the needle was slipped into the crook of his elbow, but by then his mother was holding him down with a set of phase-proof surgical gloves.

Danny shrieked, trying to tug away as Cyril took a sample from his vein. Maddie held him firmly, feeling her heart clench as her boy screwed his eyes shut and cried out wordlessly in fear. "No, p-please," he gasped, beginning to shake. Danny's tear-filled eyes flew open as he screamed, " _Don't tear me apart again!_ "

Maddie held her trembling son in her arms, mindful of the screeching infant perched on his shoulder. She soothed him with whispered phrases of reassurance, and as Cyril retreated to analyse the sample Danny slowly began to relax into his mother's embrace. Tears had begun to drip down his cheeks, and he clutched onto her arm like it was a lifeline.

Jack seated himself beside them, Eliza placed gently in his lap as he reached out to rub between Danny's wings. The teen gasped and slowly loosened his grip on Maddie's arm, leaning into Jack's touch and wiping away his tears. "I'm sorry," Danny whispered, keeping his eyes downcast.

Jack started, gripping Danny by the upper arms and turning him towards him. "You have _nothing_ to apologise for," the hunter stated firmly. "Do I make myself clear, Danny? None of this is your fault."

"But-"

"No," Jack growled. "You've been through true horrors. Whatever the impact of these upon you and others, you can't blame yourself. Don't you _dare_ apologise for being afraid of _anything!_ "

Danny sat still in shock at his father's words. "You've changed, Dad." At the hurt on Jack's face the teen quickly held up his hands. "It's a good thing!"

The hunter visibly softened, pulling Danny into a one-armed embrace in a bid to avoid touching Sebastian. "I love you, Son."

"I know," Danny breathed. "I love you too."

...

After Cyril's all-clear, Danny followed his parents out of the hospital and into the adjacent building. He smirked at the fact that the training facilities were right next door to the place where injuries sustained there could be healed. They waved their way past reception, heading down corridors painted light blue until Maddie found their specific door.

Wilhelmina was in human form, floating cross-legged in mid-air. A girl with long brown hair floated in a similar position in front of her, drawing runes in the air between them out of fire that twisted forth from her fingertips. Each rune had barely formed before it disappeared, and the girl scrunched her brow in concentration, sweat beading across her fair skin.

The Fentons stood still and silent as she completed her task, and as the final rune disappeared a barrier formed, enclosing the girl within a transparent cube. The runes flowed across its surface, blinding white and leaving imprints on Danny's eyelids when he blinked.

Wilhelmina unfurled her legs and floated before her apprentice, sending a blast directly at the cube. It absorbed the charged ectoplasm with scarcely a ripple of its surface, and Danny's aunt smirked, opened her mouth, and _wailed._ The cube put up a valiant effort, but after about thirty seconds it began to shake, and bits of its surface fell away in large chunks reminiscent of ash, their edges glowing with tiny flames as smoke coiled into the air.

As Will's wail broke off due to lack of air in the woman's lungs, the front of the cube completely disintegrated, and the girl within threw up a multi-layered ghostly shield in order to protect herself from the final shockwave. Danny whistled under his breath in envy; he had been working on multi-layered shields for over a year now, and still took more than thirty seconds for him to form one comprised of five layers. The girl's had been seven.

Upon catching sight of her sister, Will signalled to the girl to land. The rest of the box fell away into fine flakes that burned up before they hit the ground, and the girl landed heavily next to her mistress. "Ho-how… was… that?" she panted.

Will turned to face her. "You've improved, but you keep getting the rune of binding a little bit wonky. Go take a break, and after lunch you can try again."

The girl nodded but didn't move from her position, instead opting to double over, placing her hands on her knees and sucking in huge gulps of air.

Will turned back to her relatives, smiling broadly. "Join me for lunch before you go?" she chirped, barely out of breath from the wail. Danny felt another stab of envy, but realised that her wails were nowhere near as loud or powerful as his were.

The Fenton parents nodded and Maddie turned to Danny, pressing Jack's mobile phone into his hand. "Why don't you go get lunch with Bekah? We'll come and find you when we're ready to go home."

Without waiting for her son to answer, Maddie followed Jack and Will out the door.

Danny gulped, turning towards the teen as she straightened up. "I am Rebekah Marquis. Call me Bekah." She offered him her hand, and Danny took it, responding in like manner.

"Daniel Fenton. Call me Danny."

Bekah called up her rings, going ghost. "I am also Hellfire."

Danny flushed. "Uhm, I'm already in ghost form. They call me Danny Phantom." Reclaiming his hand, he reverted to human form as his companion did.

Bekah smirked. "You're now to this, aren't you?"

Danny slumped his shoulders, sending her a sidelong glance. "Is it really that obvious?" he moaned.

The girl tilted her head. "It's all in the introduction. If you're in human form and meeting someone for the first time, you shake their hand and say your human name. They take their turn, then you change and say your ghost name. If you're in ghost form you shake their hand and say your ghost name, then change and say your human name."

Danny nodded. "Okay, I think I can remember that."

Bekah laughed, leading Danny from the small, padded training room and down the corridors to a giant cafeteria. "Okay," she said, her face serious. "We line up, collect trays, and they give us the food. No payment, just get the food and sit on a bench. You got that?"

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Bekah, I wasn't born under a rock. This is no different from my school in the human world." At that moment a pink ectoblast whizzed past his ear, hitting the person standing in front of them. The younger boy whipped around, floating about a foot above the floor in order to scour the room for his assailant. A moment later he leaped over Danny, tackling a boy several steps behind with a wild cry.

At Bekah's raised eyebrow Danny chuckled. "Alright, maybe a little bit different. But the basic structure's the same."

...

After getting their food, Sam and Tucker headed outdoors. Dash's constant taunting about Danny's absence was really getting on their nerves, and Sam was just about ready to punch the jock square in the nose. She smirked lightly at the idea of a crooked nose on Dash Baxter's otherwise magazine-worthy face before sighing as her thoughts returned to her boyfriend.

She missed him.

Her parents had said little, but demanded to speak with Danny as soon as he returned. Pamela had been the more agitated of the two adults, but after a couple of late-night conversations over hot chocolate, Sam realised that her parents were slowly warming to the idea of her dating Danny. Since their realisation that he wasn't just a lazy teenager who failed everything because he didn't try, the Manson parents had agreed wholeheartedly that Danny was one of the most hardworking people that they knew of. Sam hoped that this was enough to gain their approval to continue dating him.

Tucker's parents had been mortified, and it had taken them several hours to so much as come to terms with the story that Tucker told them of Phantom's 'creation'. However, from the moment that everything had been explained, down to the smallest accusation of evil on Phantom's part, both parents dropped the subject immediately. In fact, Maurice had offhandedly remarked that very morning that Tucker had better finish calibrating their super-sensitive ghost alarm system to ignore Danny before he returned from the Ghost Zone. In addition, Angela Foley had taken a meal to FentonWorks every evening, and fully intended to feed the four people staying there until the Fentons returned.

This thrilled Tucker to no end – since he could finally explain the Amorpho incident to his parents, Angela had begun to make her famous meatloaf again.

Sitting beneath a tree in the schoolyard, Sam pointedly ignored Tucker as he drooled over the slop that had been served for that day's lunch. She turned to her sweet red apple, savouring its flavour as she fished her phone out of her pocket. The screen was blank of notifications, and the girl sighed, hovering her finger over the speed dial button. After a second she pressed it, placing the phone against her ear.

It rung out, as it had the hundred other times that she had tried the same thing. In weary desperation, Sam dialled Maddie's mobile number, only to be confronted with message bank.

Nearly crying from exhaustion and hopelessness, Sam dialled Jack's mobile number, steeling herself for the crushing sense of despair that would engulf her when it, too, rang out.

She nearly dropped the phone when Danny answered on the fourth ring.

...

Danny followed Rebekah to an empty table, seating himself beside her silently. The noise of the cafeteria washed over him, jarring in its familiarity; the teen had resigned himself to the knowledge that he would never emerge from that facility alive. To be able to sit in a room full of noisy teenagers and eat lunch was something that he had thought he would never do again, and now that he was here, the events since his kidnapping threatened to overwhelm the ghost child.

Danny forced himself to take ten deep breaths. _This is real,_ he reminded himself. _I'm safe now, and can go back to living my life._ He sighed before digging into the food with relish. Sebastian wailed from his perch on Danny's shoulder, and the halfa transferred his companion to the table, using his fork to select small pieces that he fed to the dragon by hand.

Bekah watched the exchange in silence, smirking when the dragonling reared up on its hind legs to beg for more.

"That's all," Danny spluttered, rooting around in the fried rice for any extra pieces of meat. "You ate it all."

The girl broke out into peals of laughter. "Danny, he'll eat practically anything. He's your companion; what you can eat, he can too."

Danny stared at her open mouthed before turning back to his food to find Sebastian gorging himself on rice. The teen chuckled, using his fork to scrape a third of the serving onto the tray and offering it to his scaly friend. Sebastian trilled in delight before digging in, and Danny returned to his own bowl, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment. "You must think I'm such an idiot," he mumbled into his food.

Bekah shook her head. "Nah, you're just different. That's not always a bad thing, you know."

"What's not a bad thing?" asked a male voice.

Danny looked up as three teenagers – one girl and two guys – slid onto the bench opposite Bekah and himself. "Being different," Bekah mumbled around a mouthful of food.

One of the boys extended his hand towards Danny, his mouth quirked in a small smile. Danny took it, allowing the stranger to speak first. "I am Jarom Teilor," he stated.

Before Danny could respond the next boy snatched his hand away from Jarom. "I am Neil Teilor."

The girl then leaned across the table, taking the flustered halfa's hand in a much gentler manner than Neil had. "I am Sophie Edwards."

They all looked at Danny expectantly and he dropped his eyes, his cheeks burning. "I am Daniel Fenton. Call me Danny."

Jarom transformed in a flash, his tousled black hair melting into gold as green eyes shifted to red. He shook Danny's hand again. "I am also Orion."

Neil grabbed Danny's hand with the same vigour as before, changing brown curls to gold and green eyes to stone-grey. "I am also Artemis Teilor."

Danny extended his hand towards the slight young woman and she took it gracefully, her wavy blonde hair and blue eyes being overtaken with black and red respectively. "I am Sophie Spirit."

Danny called up his own transformation rings, relieved that this was nearly over. "I am Danny Phantom," he said quietly, giving them only a quick glimpse before shifting back to human form. Surely he hadn't been heard of in this remote corner of the Ghost Zone, but then again…

Jarom raised an eyebrow as the other three reverted to human form. "You can't be _the_ Danny Phantom, surely? The Great One that Frostbite of the Far Frozen speaks so highly of?" He kept his voice low.

Danny choked on his next mouthful of rice. "Y-yeah," he spluttered. "How'd you know that?"

Neil butted in before his suddenly white-faced brother could so much as open his mouth. "Me and Jarom train there!"

"Jarom and I," Sophie hissed under her breath at the curly-haired boy sitting next to her.

Danny was flabbergasted. "What?" he breathed.

Jarom continued the conversation as though nothing had happened. "The Far Frozen abuts on the territory of the Thalassic Clan. My brother and I have cores of ice, and as such we train there sometimes."

"That makes sense," Danny murmured before turning to Sophie. "You said that your ghost name is Sophie _Spirit._ Does that have anything to do with Madeline Spirit?"

Sophie nodded with vigour and the boys grumbled about Danny changing the subject. "She was 'prentice to my master before me, and we both decided to keep his ghost name. I noticed you use your first name in your ghost name – who are you 'prenticed to? Or are you like Bekah, and chose a ghost name that doesn't match your master's?"

Danny frowned. "Actually, I chose this name myself. I didn't get it from anyone. And I guess I'm apprenticed to my m-erm, Madeline."

Sophie's eyes grew wide. "You've gotta be lying. Maddie left here before I was born, and I'd wager long before you were either!"

Danny ducked his head, cheeks burning. "No, I'm not lying. She's my mum."

The three newcomers stilled, and silence fell over the table next to them.

"B-but, Maddie's dead," Neil stuttered. "Wilhelmina _mourned_ her for a decade!"

Danny sighed, pushing his food around with his fork aimlessly. Sebastian, full, had curled up to nap next to the plate. "No, we just live in the real world."

At this, a youth that looked to be a few years older stood from the adjoining table and approached Danny, hauling him out of his seat by the back of his shirt. "You're a Deveraux?" he snarled. _Oh, yes – it isn't complete without the local jock deciding to use me as a punching bag._ This boy was considerably taller than Dash, and built like a tank.

Danny managed to keep calm only due to his experiences with Dash. "Yeah, that's Mum's maiden name. But I'm also a Fenton." With a quick twist he had yanked himself out of the boy's grip. "Now what the hell have I done to you to have you haul me into the air like that?"

The youth cracked his knuckles before going ghost and lighting up his hands with blue ectoplasm. Danny felt his heart falter before he turned back to his seat, sitting down as though there wasn't a teenage - and slightly less green - version of The Incredible Hulk hovering directly behind him, hands loaded with crackling ectoblasts. The scrawny teen nonchalantly resumed eating, keeping his face blank.

"Don't you ignore me!" the enraged teen screamed, sending a blast towards Danny's back. Danny simply flicked up a basic shield, not pausing in his slow chewing. The assailant let loose a ghostly wail, and Danny threw up two more layers before the shockwaves hit. The outer layer was barely damaged, and several of the surrounding tables' occupants whistled.

"Your shields are the strongest I've ever seen!" Neil exclaimed in awe.

The youth wailed again, but Danny simply reinforced the damaged layer with a flick of his hand, and it held firm under the shockwaves. Bekah breathed out shakily. "Danny, exactly how powerful are you?" she murmured.

Danny shrugged, ignoring the screaming teen outside his protective dome. "I haven't really been trained much, so I don't know," he confessed quietly, so that only Bekah could hear. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and motioned for Danny to answer the phone that was ringing in his pocket.

...

" _Hello?"_

"Danny!" Sam shrieked into the mouthpiece, causing Tucker to choke on his food. She pressed a button, turning the phone to loudspeaker.

" _ **Sam?"**_ he gasped.

"And me!" Tucker spluttered around his mouthful of goop.

Danny chuckled. _"Hi to you too, Tuck. What's going on over there?"_ At that moment an unfamiliar scream filtered through the speakers. Sam flinched and Tucker paled considerably.

"Danny, what's going on?" Sam cried.

" _Ah, nothing much. Just some idiot trying to wail on me for no reason, but what else is new, eh?"_

"Where _are_ you, Dude?" Tucker said, much louder than necessary.

" _Ghost Zone,"_ came the calm answer. _"I'm currently having lunch with a bunch of halfas while Mum and Dad sort out some last-minute things. We should be home sometime this arvo."_ Tucker whooped as another scream and the unmistakeable sound of blasts hitting an ectoplasmic shield emanated from the phone. _"How's everything back there? Y'know, with the ghosts?"_

"Well, we fixed the portal," Sam supplied. "Valerie's been dealing with anything that comes through, but so far it's only been Boxy and a couple of ectopusses."

Danny's relieved sigh crackled over the speakers. _"You fixed it? Thank you. And tell Val I said thanks."_

Sam sighed as well. "No problem, Danny." Yet another rage-filled scream tore through the air. Sam continued, undeterred. "I'll see you when you get home?"

" _Yah, see you soon."_ The line went dead, and Sam threw her arms around Tucker.

"He's coming home!" she screamed. "He's coming home, he's coming home, he's coming home!"

...

Dash and Kwan both stared from their spot under the adjacent tree as the geek and the Goth girl shouted for joy. The two boys had heard it all, and both were baffled.

As the two losers raced for the building without ever glancing in the direction of the footballers, Dash spoke. "Fenton's in the Ghost Zone?"

Kwan nodded. "Eating lunch with halfas, and sounds like one's trying to attack him."

Dash smirked before his face fell. "But he didn't sound scared."

Kwan frowned. "He didn't even seem bothered by it."

Both boys looked at each other for a moment before saying the same thing at the same time. "Weird."

Shrugging, the school's stars got to their feet and headed in the direction of the football pitch.

...

Danny's lunch companions stared at him as he answered the phone. "Hello? … _Sam?_ " He chuckled lightly. "Hi to you too, Tuck. What's going on over there?" The attacker screamed with rage, attacking the shield with yet another wail.

"Ah, nothing much. Just some idiot trying to wail on me for no reason, but what else is new, eh? …Ghost Zone. …I'm currently having lunch with a bunch of halfas while Mum and Dad sort out some last-minute things. We should be home sometime this arvo." The assailant shrieked insults at Danny through the shield, sending a volley of ectoblasts into it to no effect. "How's everything back there? Y'know, with the ghosts? …You fixed it? Thank you. And tell Val I said thanks."

With another scream, the would-be attacker gave up on his ghostly abilities and began to beat at the shield with his fists. "Yah, see you soon." Danny removed the phone from his ear and pressed the button to end the call, pointedly ignoring the grotesque face pressed against his shield. "Do any of you guys know why he's trying to attack me?"

Sophie gaped at the calm boy before her. "You mean you don't know?"

"Why would I ask if I knew?" Danny asked, not unkindly.

Sophie sighed. "Lucas is from the Mandrake family. They hate the Deverauxs."

"Enough to try to beat me up?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Enough to try to kill you," Jarom stated matter-of-factly. "However, he sat down at his table only moments before you told Sophie that you're Madeline's son. If he knew your ghostly identity he'd be sitting there quietly with the rest of his companions."

Danny decided to let this indication of his ghost form's standing slide for the time being. "So if I go ghost he'll go away?"

Jarom quirked his own eyebrow. "By all means, _go ghost_ as you put it. Hopefully it'll scare him off."

Danny shrugged before snapping the rings into place around his waist, finishing off the last forkful of rice as he changed. Sebastian, who had been woken by Lucas' repeated attacks, fanned his wings and leaped back onto Danny's shoulder.

As the rings disappeared the hall fell very silent.

...

Maddie sighed, glancing once again at her son. "I leave you alone for two hours and you can't keep a low profile?"

Danny threw his hands into the air. "I didn't know everyone would start bowing when they realised that I'm Phantom! I only did it to stop that Mandrake guy from trying to beat me up!"

The huntress sighed, leading her boy down the corridor that led to the exit. "I guess that it's really not your fault."

" _Why_ did they bow like that, anyway?" Danny moaned.

"Sweetie, you defeated Pariah Dark."

"So?" he mumbled, reaching up to fondle the dragonling on his shoulder.

"You are not only the strongest ghost in the Ghost Zone, but the rightful leader."

Danny stopped short. " _ **What?**_ " he shrieked, his voice rising by at least two octaves.

Maddie held the door for him, and Danny turned into Phantom, floating in the eddies of the Ghost Zone. "Talk to Clockwork about it," she advised. "I understand that he's the one doing the job until you're ready to."

Danny shook his head slightly, following his mother as she flew in the direction of her lair.


	19. Tepid

Danny watched with envy as Wilhelmina used her bare hands to shape the fabric of reality, tearing a temporary portal to Amity Park. _I have so much to learn, how can I be the most powerful ghost in the Ghost Zone?_ Sighing, he followed his parents and aunt through the portal.

They emerged one hundred feet above the school, and Danny smirked at the upturned faces and immediate commotion on the ground. The sport class at the neighbouring football pitch began to holler, and the buzz of their mingled shouts easily reached the floating figures.

The adults turned in the direction of FentonWorks. "Take your time," Maddie shot over her shoulder. "I'm sure you want to see your friends right away."

Danny grinned and turned invisible, floating down into the building where his friends would be in their final class of the day. Unaware of the actual timetable day, the halfa did a quick circuit of the school, flying invisibly and intangibly through the classrooms.

He found them in English, and observed with glee. Sam was poring over her copy of _Hamlet_ , whilst Tucker had laid his head down upon his own open book and snored lightly. Valerie had moved from her usual spot to the seat behind Danny's empty one, sitting next to the sleeping boy.

Floating down to rest his feet in the space between the three chairs, Danny waited until Lancer began to shout at Dash and whispered "Boo."

Testament to their long exposure to such occurrences, neither Sam nor Tucker reacted much. The former twisted in her seat towards the sound, her face lighting up as Tucker simply mumbled and continued to snore.

Valerie fell out of her seat with a startled cry, and Danny had to fight back his chuckles of amusement as the class turned towards them. When Mr Lancer managed to regain the students' attention Danny slid out his seat and sat down, flicking several icicles behind him to land on Tucker's cheeks. The slumbering boy snorted before slowly opening his teal eyes, reaching up a hand to lightly touch the ice on his cheeks. He then turned to stare accusingly at his invisible friend, and Danny smirked, flashing his head into momentary visibility in order to stick out his tongue. Sam reached over to grasp her boyfriend's icy hand, and Danny squeezed her fingers gently.

At that moment Lancer screamed, backing away from the frightened dragonling perched on his desk.

Danny swore under his breath and teleported to the front of the room, turning visible once he stood between the man and his wailing companion. Danny raised his hands in a gesture of peace, facing his startled teacher. "Forgive him, he won't hurt you," the halfa said gently. As the teacher's eyes widened Danny turned towards the baby. "Come on, Sebastian. No more running away, hm?"

The tiny creature fanned its wings and leaped through the air, landing on its companion's outstretched hand and contentedly perching on his extended forearm like a bird of prey. Happily settled, Sebastian began to trill quietly, extending one glittering wing in order to preen.

"Mr Phantom?" Mr Lancer breathed.

Danny glanced through his overlong white bangs at the teacher. "Forgive me for the disruption," he murmured as the class erupted into excited shouts.

Danny flinched as Paulina immediately screamed a marriage proposal, and several of the jocks began to comment on his scars, wardrobe change, and extra limbs. To his immense relief none of the students left their seats, and Mr Lancer slowly turned towards him. "Mr Phantom, if you would be so kind as to take a seat…"

Danny ducked his head and proceeded back to his chair, depositing the preening dragon on his desk and tugging the drool-covered copy of _Hamlet_ off Tucker's. Tucker simply shrugged and put his head back on the desk, going back to sleep almost instantly as though this was an everyday occurrence. After a moment his eyes shot open again.

"Danny, you're in ghost form!" Tucker hissed into the silent room.

The halfa hid his burning face behind the book, pretending that he hadn't heard his best friend as the class erupted again.

"So Phantom _is_ a halfa!" Kwan cried.

At Danny's flinch the students quieted again. "And how," the halfa breathed, "do _any_ of you know that term?"

"It was on the news," Paulina announced, flipping her dark hair and batting her eyelashes at the poor boy. Danny looked away from her, reminded vividly of pain, scientists, and a glass tube.

As the class loudly explained the television report and the subsequent town meeting, Mr Lancer gave up on teaching and chose instead to recline against his desk. About halfway through the period, when the students finally began to rise from their seats, Danny sent his teacher a pleading glance.

" _The Princess Bride_ , that's enough!" Lancer shouted in a voice that made half of the students flinch. "I will not tolerate you mobbing this young man in your excitement! Now sit down, and let's get back to work." Lowering his voice to a gentler tome, Lancer addressed Danny. "Mr Phantom, if I could speak with you after class?"

Danny nodded, keeping his head down and trying to conceal his panic. Sam squeezed his hand beneath the desktop, and Paulina shot her the filthiest glare he had ever seen.

As the bell rang, Danny stood and pulled Sam into his arms, chastely kissing her mouth before glaring at Paulina.

"B-but she's dating Fentoad!" Dash spluttered, and Danny kept his features expressionless, phasing through the students that crowded around him in order to reach the teacher's desk. There he stood, still and silent as the students crowded around him once more. Sam sent him a sympathetic look before fleeing the scene with Tucker and Valerie, and the teacher ushered Danny through the group of students and into his own office.

After shutting the door firmly, Lancer turned to the halfa. "Please take a seat, Mr Fenton."

Danny blanched, his mind going blank at what his teacher had just said. "I-I-I'm Phantom," he stuttered.

The older man's expression softened. "Please sit down before you fall over, Mr Fenton."

Danny sat.

...

Mr Lancer didn't want to sit behind his desk – not when Danny seemed to be falling apart at the seams. The white-haired teen trembled in his seat, clenching scarred hands into fists in his lap. Dragging his chair around until it was across from Danny's but on the same side of the desk, the teacher seated himself.

Danny was breathing heavily, his scarred face turned towards the ground. The silence stretched, and Lancer finally sighed, leaning forwards in his seat. "Mr Fenton-"

"Danny," the teen rasped.

"I don't think that's proper."

Danny raised his head, his emerald eyes boring into Lancer's. "Danny is my name in both forms."

This made Lancer pause. The boy's eyes were tortured, and the scars marring his skin so vivid that they drowned out all other facial features par those glowing green orbs. _He practically admitted that he's Fenton._ "Danny," the teacher sighed, "do you want a biscuit?"

Reaching behind himself, the man produced a jar of chocolate biscuits that sat on the edge of his desk. Danny frowned in confusion before reaching out tentatively, taking two biscuits. One he kept for himself, and the other he broke into little pieces to feed to the restless creature perched on his arm. The teacher took one as well, leaning back in the chair in relaxation and motioning towards the dragonling. "I didn't know dragons could eat chocolate."

"He can eat whatever I can," Danny mumbled around a mouthful of food. He swallowed, licking the crumbs from his lips as the creature clambered onto his shoulder. "Sebastian's not really a pet, more of a companion, and we're bonded. I kind of need to keep him with me all the time."

Lancer smiled. "If you can figure out how to explain his presence to your classmates and he doesn't prove to be too much of a distraction then you are welcome to bring him wherever you wish." Danny's eyes grew wide and the teacher felt his heart swell as the teen's uneasiness visibly gave way to gratitude. "In addition," Lancer continued, "whenever you need to leave to do your job, just go. Make sure I see you leaving though. And finally, you have missed almost two months of school. However, you are _not_ going to fail. I will give you credit work for each of your subjects, and you have until the day before exams commence to complete it. You _will_ graduate with your peers, alright?"

The teacher was completely unprepared for the glowing tear that trickled down Danny's cheeks. "Thank you," the halfa breathed. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

Lancer inclined his head. "I won't keep you from your friends any longer. But if it helps, I just want you to know that as long as you wish for your identity to remain confidential, your secret's safe with me."

At this Danny burst into tears, sliding to the floor and kneeling in front of his teacher. "Thank you, th-thank you, thank you!" the teen cried, his shoulders shaking.

Lancer wondered what on Earth his student had been submitted to for a little bit of compassion to bring him to tears. _Kidnapping, torture, and attempted murder…_ Sighing, the man decided that he truly didn't want to know. However… "Danny," he murmured, kneeling in front of the broken boy, "I'm always here to listen. No strings attached, okay?"

This final offering had the teen in hysterics, and Lancer's hands hovered over the shaking form, the teacher acutely aware of the laws that prevented him from offering this pupil any form of physical comfort. Danny, as though sensing the man's indecision, threw his arms around Lancer's shoulders for a handful of seconds before pulling away and getting to his feet. He wiped at his damp cheeks, offering the educator a hand up.

_The heck with it,_ Lancer thought, taking the proffered hand and allowing his student to pull him to his feet.

"Thank you," Danny whispered again, "for caring enough to respect my privacy."

Lancer smirked. "Just because you're a superhero doesn't mean that you don't need protecting."

At this Danny offered a genuine smile – the first that he had directed at his teacher since before the accident – and disappeared into thin air with a muttered "See you later, Mr Lancer."

The teacher lowered himself back into his chair. _This is going to take some getting used to,_ he thought, helping himself to another biscuit.

...

Sam, Tucker, and Valerie were waiting for Danny in their usual booth at The Nasty Burger. When the halfa appeared, fully human with no trace of scars, wings, or tail, Sam leaped up and pulled him into an embrace, pressing her mouth hard against his.

They slid into the booth, and just as Danny opened his mouth to speak a certain jock approached, slamming meaty palms down onto the 'losers' table'. "And where'd you get Phantom's dragon, Fentoad?" he demanded.

Danny smirked, looking his bully straight in the eye. "Phantom's rather friendly with my family, and when he's unable to keep Sebastian with him, one of us –" he gestured to his three companions – "gets to mind him."

"Give it to me!" Dash cried, reaching for the dragonling that cowered on Danny's shoulder.

Danny summoned up an invisible duplicate, and a moment later Phantom flickered into visibility between Dash and Fenton. The bully backpedalled, bumping into the table behind him. "Ph-Phantom!" he stuttered.

The duplicate raised a pale eyebrow. "Sebastian tends to bite if handled by strangers," he stated coolly.

Dash stared with eyes as wide as plates. "S-sorry." The jock visibly shook himself. "I'm Dash, and I could do a way better job of taking care of your pet then Fentoa-er-Fenton."

Phantom's face darkened, his emerald eyes glittering dangerously. "I know who you are, Baxter." He raised his voice, speaking now to all of the teens within the restaurant. "Let's set things straight, here and now. Firstly, Sebastian is _not_ a _pet_. He's my companion, so don't even _think_ about touching him without my explicit permission.

"Second, how can any of you assume that you know _anything_ about me? Yes, I'm a halfa. But make no mistake – I'm no A-lister. In fact, I'm one of the most pathetic losers that Amity Park has ever seen! The guys that you beat up and belittle every single day are my friends, so I think it's high time that you started to leave them alone." The Nasty Burger was so quiet that one could hear the low humming of the deep-fryer; even the staff watched with open mouths. "And by the way," Phantom hissed, "I don't appreciate bullying. See that it ends, right this second." With that final scathing remark the duplicate disappeared, and Danny reabsorbed it.

Dash sent his favourite victim an unreadable look before hurrying back to his own table, for the first time since freshman year not bothering to kick Mikey's chair out from beneath him as he passed the nerds. After several tense seconds the restaurant filled with chatter once again.

...

Sam insisted that Danny join her for dinner. After making a quick phone call home, Danny agreed to do so, reasoning that Jazz needed time to calm down from hearing the details of the kidnapping before seeing him – her hugs were rather painful on the rare occasions that she became hysterical.

Entering the Manson home, Danny allowed Sam to lead him to the dining area. Her parents were waiting, and neither seemed surprised to see the young man. However, Pamela was fascinated by the dragonling.

"Do you have him because you're Phantom?" she asked bluntly, but not unkindly.

Danny sat heavily, finding that his legs would no longer support him.

"Mum, you were supposed to ease him into it!" Sam cried, her heart clenching at the terror on her boyfriend's face. Danny was shaking, and in his fear he managed to lose grasp of his powers –scars melted into view, along with his wings and tail. A moment later, the trembling teen fell directly through his chair with a yelp.

Jeremy knelt beside the hyperventilating halfa, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Come on now, it's alright," the older man murmured, slowly coaxing the petrified child off the floorboards. "Dinner's not quite ready yet, so how about we go to the kitchen and I'll get you some cold water?"

Danny allowed himself to be towed from the room as Sam continued to berate her shamefaced mother.

...

Once in the kitchen Danny was coaxed onto a stool, and Jeremy placed a glass of ice water in front of him. The man seemed unable to keep his eyes from the scars that spider webbed over half of the teen's face and wrapped around his arms and throat in both fine lines and thick ropes. Danny took a sip of water, trying to ignore the scrutiny.

His hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Jeremy sighed, seating himself beside the teen. "I'm going to blunt here, Daniel – Pamela and I figured out that you're Phantom. Nobody told us."

The halfa shuddered. _At least it wasn't on the news or anything._ "How'd you figure it out?" he rasped, taking another sip of water in order to give his fingers something to do.

"When we realised that Phantom was half ghost we figured out that the only person we see with strange injuries that disappear overnight was you."

"Figures," Danny muttered bitterly, keeping his eyes on the flawless marble countertop. "Out of all my powers, it's the least aggressive one that clued you in."

Jeremy sighed, and Danny noticed his eyes flick to the halfa's glittering wings. The teen wordlessly extended them, allowing the older man to reach out and lightly touch the cool scales. Sebastian fanned his own wings, trilling as Danny reached up to fondle him. The halfa suppressed a shudder, realising that this was the first time he had ever allowed someone to examine his wings in such a personal manner. He wasn't sure that he liked it, either.

"M-Mr Manson, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Danny questioned.

The man pulled his hand back, his eyes returning to Danny's face. "I'm very impressed, Daniel."

"Wha-"

"You are the most selfless person that I've ever met. Know that Pamela and I are more than happy to consider you a suitable companion for Samantha."

"Wait-"

"You have my full permission to date her."

Danny blinked, his mind screeching to a halt. "T-that's what this is all about?" he breathed.

Jeremy inclined his head. "You were never given permission by me to date my girl, but now I am offering it to you."

Danny breathed out shakily. "Thanks, I guess. But please-"

"In addition, we are not going to tell anyone your little secret."

At this Danny sighed in relief, his eyes shining with gratitude as he gripped the man's hand. "Thank you, Mr Manson. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Jeremy felt his cheeks burn. "It's no problem, Daniel."

"If you don't mind," the boy murmured, releasing the man's fingers, "I much prefer to be called Danny."

Jeremy cocked his head. "I'll call you Danny if you transform for Pamela and me."

The teen swallowed. "Fair enough." He jumped off the stool, smiling shakily.

Jeremy immediately felt bad for requesting such a thing. "Only when you're ready!" he exclaimed, sliding off his own stool. He didn't want to push the boy; it was evident that Danny was already suffering emotionally.

Danny squared his shoulders. "It's fine, Mr Manson. You guys already know anyway, so what's the point of bothering to hide it anymore?"

The boy led the way back to the dining room, and Pamela immediately rushed forwards, grasping his hand. "I am sorry, Daniel! My words were thoughtless."

Danny almost laughed at the pained expression she wore. "It's cool," he replied. "I was just a little shaken, nothing major. And I guess you deserve to see…" At this he held his breath and snapped the white ring into place, keeping eye contact as it split and washed over his slim form.

Pamela gasped, and Jeremy's eyes grew wide as Phantom floated in their dining room. By pure effort of will, Danny forced himself to descend the six inches to the floor, pressing the soles of his boots against the floorboards.

After a moment of silence he shuffled awkwardly, ducking his head to stare at his feet.

Pamela broke the silence. "Well, it's a wonder nobody saw the similarities before now."

Danny sent Sam a pleading look and the Goth chuckled, stepping between her parents and boyfriend. "C'mon, let's sit down," she said brightly. "By the smell of things, dinner's ready!"

The halfa gratefully squeezed Sam's hand, helping her into her chair courteously before reverting to his human form and seating himself.

Dinner went smoothly until Sebastian decided to go for a dip in the gravy boat.

...

At ten o'clock sharp Danny bid his hosts goodnight, turning down the offer of a lift home as graciously as he could. As soon as the door closed behind him he turned into Phantom and began to loop through the air, a smile lazily creeping across his features as he flipped and twirled, wings held tightly against his body in order to limit the amount of drag created.

_I really need to learn how to use these,_ he thought, but found very quickly that any attempt to rely upon his wings instead of his powers sent him hurtling towards the ground. After about ten minutes the halfa shrugged and resumed his aerial acrobatics, feeling the kinks slowly work their way out of his underworked muscles.

Although it seemed effortless, flying for long periods of time was very energy-consuming. As the city clock struck eleven-thirty Danny circled the fountain, dipping through its spray several times before looping backwards to land in a perfect sitting position on one of the benches. With a sigh he leaned back, flopping down to lie on the slatted wood.

His inspection of the stars was interrupted by the flapping of wings.

...

Danny entered his house at five minutes to midnight with a winged girl hot on his heels. He made a beeline for the kitchen, following the sound of voices. Maddie, Jack, and Kellie all looked up from steaming mugs, and the latter got to her feet with an exclamation. "Kailani!" she cried enthusiastically, sweeping past a flabbergasted Danny and pulling his odd stalker into an embrace. "Thanks so much for coming!"

"What?" Danny breathed, taking a step back and sinking into a chair. "Who are you guys?"

Maddie smirked at her son. "Kailani's here to teach you how to use your wings; Kellie called her in as a favour."

The young man blinked before reverting to human form and transferring a sleepy Sebastian to the table top. The dragonling gave a quiet whine before ambling over to Jack's mug of hot chocolate and helping himself to the beverage. At this the winged girl with hair that matched her dark feathers threw back her head and let loose a peal of delighted laughter. "Can I pet him?" she begged Danny, her violet eyes sparkling with mirth.

The halfa shrugged. "If he'll let you."

Reaching out an elegant hand, the young woman clucked her tongue at the dragon. After a moment's appraisal Sebastian butted his head against her fingers, crooning softly. The girl's mouth curved into a smile and she turned to Danny, extending her free hand. "Kailani, but call me Kai. I'll teach you how to fly so long as you don't ask about me."

He took it, shaking firmly. "Danny. I'll be happy to learn, and I've got enough of my own baggage that I won't go digging around in someone else's if I don't have to."

The girl grinned, breaking their handshake. "It's settled, then." Turning away from Danny, she engaged in conversation with the redhead once more whilst Jack fought Sebastian for possession of his hot chocolate.

Maddie giggled. "So you just let some strange girl follow you home?"

Danny hunched his shoulders in defence. "No! I was resting in the park after a bit of flying and she just turned up! I was about to blast her but realised that she didn't set off my ghost sense at all and then she said that she came to meet the Fentons. She wouldn't answer any of my questions and followed me home!"

"You're as hopeless as your father," the huntress chuckled.

"Am not!" Danny bristled.

"Are too," Maddie taunted as Jack finally managed to wrest his mug from the little dragon. Eliza slept undisturbed on the corner of the table, curled up neatly and gleaming in the fluorescent light.

The clock struck twelve, and Maddie yawned. "Go on, Danny, you still need some rest since you're not quite one hundred per cent yet," she said quietly. "And," she continued as the teen got to his feet, "you'd better hide your scars and scaly limbs – Jim's brought Jazz here, and your Aunt Alicia also turned up."

"Where's everyone sleeping?" Danny wondered.

Maddie grimaced. "I hope you don't mind this; Jazz and Jim are in Jazz's room, Alicia has your bed, Kellie has our room, Kailani will be sleeping in the guest room, Wilhelmina has the futon in the lab, your father and I are taking the futon in the ops centre and you can either have the couch, the air bed on the floor of the ops centre, or Tucker's house. His parents have everything ready should you choose to go there. Including –" she held up a hand as Danny opened his mouth – "their ghost surveillance system – Tucker convinced them to turn it off."

Danny immediately felt his heart begin to race. After Lancer and the Mansons, the halfa was more than ready to suspect that the Foleys had figured out his secret as well. And if their reactions were anything like the ones that he'd already received that day, he realised (somewhat to his own surprise) that he'd be alright with it. "I'll go to Tuck's," Danny stated firmly.

Maddie nodded. "I thought you might. Angela said to just phase into Tucker's room, where there's an extra bed set up. Don't bother knocking."

Danny took a deep, calming breath. After a moment to collect his thoughts he nodded briefly. "I'll still go to Tuck's."

Maddie got to her feet as Danny did, her expression softening. "Your toothbrush and clothing are already in a bag on the couch."

The halfa reached out his hand, allowing Sebastian to clamber onto his forearm and perch there like an awkward bird. "I'll shower and then go," he murmured before slipping past the guests to his bag and from there creeping upstairs.

...

Bright Eyes rubbed at his arthritic knee. "You're sure about this?" he asked the shadow-swathed man that sat before him.

The figure's eyes became visible, a toxic glowing yellow that had Bright Eyes squirming in his seat. "Positive. We shall avenge our fallen brethren, and rule the world."

Bright Eyes bowed his head respectfully. "Yes, Sir."

...

Angela Foley didn't so much as bat an eyelid when a scarred, winged Daniel Fenton ambled into her kitchen shortly after sunrise. "Morning, Danny. Did you sleep well?" she enquired brightly, motioning for him to seat himself. On the outside she was the gracious hostess, but inside she was screaming at the sight of assorted silvery scars that roped and splashed over his skin. And was that a black eye?

Danny shrugged, sending her an unreadable look. "I've been up for the past hour fighting Skulker, so I guess you could say that it was a pretty quiet night. By the way, thanks for letting me stay here, and especially for disabling your ghost alarms."

Angela tried to smile brightly, placing a plate of waffles in front of him. "You're welcome."

"This looks great!" the halfa gushed, his stomach growling as if on cue. The creature perched on his shoulder trilled and jumped down to sit by his plate. Danny chuckled before slicing off half of a waffle and breaking it into small chunks for the ghostly animal.

Angela bit her lower lip, turning to the stove and placing strips of bacon into the frying pan. As the sound of popping oil and the smells of cooking bacon filled the air, Tucker shuffled into the room, his eyes closed and nose held high in the air. "Is that bacon?" he moaned, bumping into the corner of the table.

Danny's tail shot up and lightly whacked the teen on the top of the head. "Wake up, Tuck!" the halfa exclaimed, and said sleepwalker jolted into the conscious realm, literally falling into the chair that his best friend pulled out for him.

"M-mornin'," Tucker spluttered, staring at Danny with bleary eyes. "What're you doin' 'ere?" he slurred groggily.

"FentonWorks is a little stretched for space right now so Danny will be sleeping on the spare mattress in your room," Angela answered.

"M'kay," the teen mumbled, dropping his head to the table top.

Danny turned to the unfazed woman. "Mrs Foley, you're not going to tell anyone, are you?" he asked childishly.

Angela shook her head. "Your secret is safe with us, Phantom."

Danny let lose a grateful sigh. "Thank-"

"Don't bother thanking us," Maurice rumbled as he entered the kitchen and headed straight for the coffee machine. "We're the ones who should thank you for placing your very life on the line in order to protect us."

Danny flushed, squirming as the man's teal eyes observed him over the rim of a steaming mug. "Uh… I-it's just my job…" he trailed off, ducking his head and paying a far greater amount of attention to his food then he had to.

Understanding the teen's discomfort, both Foley parents let the subject drop for the time being.

...

By nine in the morning Kailani was knocking on the Foleys' front door and dragging Danny away from the round of _Doomed_ that he was playing against Tucker. The halfa didn't complain, instead turning into Phantom and allowing her to tug him by the wrist to the park.

"I thought you wore a hazmat suit," she said shortly as she dumped him on the grass.

Danny shrugged. "I usually do, but it's a long story."

Kai flipped her long, dark hair back, tying it into a ponytail in order to prevent it from flopping into her eyes. "Your friend won't want to sit on your shoulder while you're training with me," she warned.

Danny sighed. "He wasn't happy when I left him behind to fight Skulker this morning."

Kailani reached her hand towards Sebastian. " _You're_ the one who'll be doing the crazy flying. Give him to me – I'll make sure he's not jostled around too much."

Danny frowned. "He's still a baby. What if you drop him while flying?"

"Danny, he can fly, just not great distances."

The halfa turned a brilliant shade of red, transferring his companion from his shoulder to the girl's without another word.

"Right," Kai muttered, clipping a metal cuff around Danny's wrist. The halfa yelped, feeling his powers bound with a light sting. The girl smirked then, and the powerless halfa took a step away from her.

With a brisk movement Kai had grabbed Danny by the tail and the waistband of his jeans, throwing the two of them into the air with a mighty beat of her angelic black wings. As they ascended she shouted instructions on the basics of flight over the struggling halfa's steady stream of swear words. Hovering about ten metres above the lake she paused. "No ghost powers. Now copy what I do."

Before Danny could protest she dropped him, flying towards the ground as he fell.

She pulled out of her descent about a foot before colliding.

Danny hit the surface of the freezing lake with a painful-sounding slap.

When he surfaced, coughing and swearing, Kailani hoisted him back into the air by the collar of his shirt and one of his wrists. "Again!" she called, flying upwards once more. "We'll go over this until you can keep yourself in the air!"

...

The semi-coherent swearing and consistent splashes didn't go unnoticed, and within the hour Phantom's first flying lesson had attracted an audience of about fifty people, including Casper High's football team and Coach Tetslaff.

As Danny hit the water yet again the teacher flinched sympathetically. "If I knew his human identity I'd give the kid a week off gym," she murmured. "He's gunna be sooo sore."

Danny surfaced, spluttering as he choked out a mouthful of filthy water and an equally filthy word. Undeterred, the winged girl called out for him to try again, hoisting the gasping halfa into the air by grasping his clothing and limbs.

After another half an hour the exhausted ghost boy finally managed to remain airborne. His wings only supported him for about thirty seconds, but once he surfaced from his watery landing the teen let out an enthusiastic whoop, throwing his bare hands into the air.

Kailani grinned, hoisting him out of the water and depositing him on the muddy shoreline. "You get a break for fifteen minutes, then we work on your technique, including take-offs and landings. You'll be flying properly by the end of the week at this rate."

Phantom sank onto the grass, brushing dripping bangs out of his eyes and gratefully accepting a water bottle from Kwan.

"You've certainly got guts," Tetslaff remarked, crouching beside the teen and clapping him on the back as her football students reluctantly began to jog another lap of the lake at her order.

Danny spluttered, sending her a wan smile. "You think so?" he rasped.

The woman nodded, glancing up at the winged girl that looped gracefully through the sky. "Everyone knows you're half human now, and all those bellyflops must have hurt."

The figure beside her shrugged, fingering a metal cuff that glowed red. "I'm used to worse stuff."

The teacher smirked. "Whatever you say."

The boy handed her Kwan's bottle without a word, and Tetslaff got to her feet to follow her students, shouting at them to continue running until they reached the Casper High football pitch one block away. "It's good to have you back, Phantom," she called over her shoulder, and then she was gone, jogging after her team.

Danny sighed, lying back on the grass as the rest of the crowd surged forwards, cameras at the ready and begging for autographs.

He complied, but the next break he got Danny insisted that Kai place him on the island in the middle of the lake, where he could catch a breather in peace.

When he returned to a near-empty FentonWorks for a late lunch Maddie didn't remove the cuff binding Danny's powers straight away, first washing his mouth out with ecto-removal for "Setting a bad example and giving people the wrong ideas about us Fentons."

Danny was hiccupping up bubbles for the next hour, much to everyone's amusement.


	20. Marionette

After lunch Danny left Sebastian with Maddie and sped for the Ghost Zone, shivering slightly as he passed through his own grave. The sting that whipped through his body was brief but nonetheless painful, and the halfa resolved to learn everything that he could about graves as soon as possible. He continued into the wide expanse of swirling green, following the inexorable pull that guided his mind towards a particular lair.

He paused in front of the titanic black doors that opened into Clockwork's tower, fighting down his sudden apprehension. "Why can I never seem to catch a break?" the teen moaned before placing a bare hand against the lacquered wood and pushing the door inwards. It swung back noiselessly on oiled hinges, revealing a clock-lined foyer beyond.

"I _was_ trying to give you one," Clockwork muttered from next to the boy's ear.

Danny didn't so much as jump, instead ignoring the voice until he had stepped over the threshold of the lair; in the past he had responded to the whispers at the door, and had subsequently been trapped arguing with this figment of Clockwork which guarded the lair for several hours.

The age-old spectre materialised in front of the scowling halfa, and Danny responded by placing his feet on the floor, folding his arms over his chest and tapping his foot on the stones, the very picture of an exasperated young man. Clockwork smirked beneath his hood at the teen's irritated expression, and turned towards the sweeping staircase, beckoning with a crooked finger for Danny to follow.

The halfa kept a scowl on his face as a middle-aged Clockwork led him deep into the lair, and Danny kept to the middle of the corridors as best he could. Eyes observed their passing from the crevices behind and between the clocks lining the walls, lidless and pupil-less as they glowed red and purple in the dim lighting. It creeped Danny out, but he wasn't about to criticise any aspect of this particular lair.

Danny hurried to keep up with his mentor, following Clockwork through a heavy metal door without question. The ancient ghost shut it behind them, and as Danny turned to face the room the lock clicked.

The halfa stared with wide eyes at the tiny room. It was a vault of some sort – lining the walls were small alcoves containing various items both familiar and alien to the teen, and as his eyes fell upon the Reality Gauntlet, Danny tensed. "Why did you do that to Dad?" the boy demanded, rounding on his ghostly companion.

Clockwork held him with an unwavering stare before sighing, slumping purple-clad shoulders in defeat. "I truly am sorry, Daniel. I know that you would not have wanted it, but it was the only way to save you and your mother."

The halfa took a deep breath, the tip of his tail flicking as he attempted to remain calm. Sensing that his young charge was not about to begin shouting, Clockwork disappeared, re-materialising beside an alcove across the room. Danny followed the example, teleporting the short distance with a burst of pride when he didn't overshoot the mark. Clockwork had been the one to teach him teleportation, and the first time he tried it, Danny had ended up with his shoulder stuck in the wall. It had been painful, and the healing process messy.

The ancient ghost beckoned. Leaning forwards, the halfa finally saw what was rightfully his.

Clockwork inclined his head, reaching to remove a simple yet elegant silver crown from its sanguine cushion. Danny backed away, holding his hands up. "No, I-I don't want it!" he shouted.

Clockwork wasn't about to take no for an answer. With a brisk wave of his hand a delicate chain within the alcove that Danny had backed up against came to life, coiling around the halfa's hips. Danny's feet hit the floor as his powers drained, and at his sudden distraction the ancient ghost gently placed the crown atop the teen's shining white hair.

It burst into writhing white flames, and Danny tore at both glittering chain and burning crown. The chain shivered before returning to its alcove, but Danny found that no matter how hard he tried to fling the crown away from him, his fingers passed right through it.

"Clockwork!" he screamed, falling to his knees as he continued to grasp at the object that rested upon his head. "I don't want this!"

The ghost knelt beside his charge, placing a hand on Danny's spine and rubbing it in small, soothing circles. "I know," the Master of Time breathed, "but the laws of the Ghost Zone are absolute, even for you. And the law states that before three years is up, the one who has become the King of the Ghost Zone by conquest must accept the crown. However, I shall still keep the ring in my possession until you are ready to rule."

Danny gave up trying to tear the crown away from his head, burying his face in his hands and letting lose a defeated sob. "H-how do I get rid of it?" he choked.

Clockwork shook his head. "You can't."

"Don't give me that!" Danny shouted, leaping to his feet. "I _know_ that it can be taken off because I knocked it off Pariah myself!"

The ancient ghost tilted his head. "Yes, but you cannot dispose of it yourself – only those wishing to take your place as rightful ruler of the Ghost Zone would even bother trying. So long as you wish to rid yourself of the crown as opposed to simply removing it, you cannot take it off."

Danny sank to his knees again, trying once more to grasp the item on his head. As he struggled to so much as get a grip on the thing, the room grew dark and featureless as a figure dressed in a sweeping black cape and lilac clothing trimmed with gold materialised.

It had an eyeball for a head.

Danny scooted backwards on his bum, pressing his wings and back against the wall as the Observant watched unblinkingly. The crackling white flames that haloed the halfa's head sent splashes of light and shadow writhing across the walls, and as the newcomer bent towards him, Danny could see his reflection within its bloodshot green eye. The halfa pressed himself harder against the wall, realising with horror that the surface was phase-proof.

_You do not trust me._

The voice seemed to permeate the air, but Danny could not pinpoint the source; the figure had yet to blink, and it had no mouth or any other defining features for that matter.

_Do you, perhaps,_ fear _me?_

Danny bristled. "That is _such_ an E-grade question," he drawled. The creature reared back slightly, and for a moment its eye narrowed, hinting at its displeasure. "Why are you here?" Danny demanded.

The fact that Clockwork had disappeared with the vault had the halfa panicking internally. He had never met an Observant before, but knew it from a description out of one of Ghostwriter's books. They were notorious for their ability to infuriate a certain Master of Time, and as the self-updating encyclopaedia proudly stated, had wished to have Danny destroyed on no fewer than nine separate occasions. Thus, the teen found himself preparing for just about any act of violence towards his person.

_You wish to hide the crown?_

The question caught his off-guard and Danny bit his lip, preferring to remain silent as the creature leaned forwards once again. Once it was only a breath away from his face Danny realised that he could not move; the Observant's stare had frozen him in place.

_Give me your right hand, Phantom._

Danny found that his body did as it was asked, and the edges of the massive eye crinkled as it would have if there had been a mouth smiling below it.

_Very good. And now…_

The halfa shrieked, trying to pull his hand back as the flames moved from the crown to his wrist. They wrapped around it, sending pain shooting up his arm. After several tense seconds where Danny squirmed and the Observant continued to stare, the flames melted into the halfa's skin. They left a band of raw flesh which would undoubtedly scar, along with a rather unusual marking on the inside of his wrist.

Visible beneath the thin layers of skin, a small white light about the size of his thumbnail pulsed steadily with Danny's heartbeat, tendrils of it seeming to creep through his veins half an inch away from the focal point in every direction.

_Whenever you so wish it, those flames will be loosed to writhe around your crown once again. And one more thing…_

The silver circlet upon Danny's head was placed in his hand, and the halfa gasped as it shrunk to the size of a ring.

_Use your ice powers to create a chain, and you may wear it around your neck. The flames are white for you, indicating that your heart is pure and righteous. Those with evil hearts cause the flame to become black, and they are incapable of ruling._

"What about Pariah?"

_His flames were green,_ the creature hissed. _Green in the colour of balance – he was righteous and wicked in evil parts. There is a spectrum of different colours, and Clockwork shall teach you in time._

_You have one human lifetime to share with your beloved, but when she passes from the living world forever, you are to take your rightful place as King._

Before Danny could protest the Observant disappeared, and the halfa found himself sitting on the cold stone floor of Clockwork's vault once again. The ghost still knelt beside him, and Danny grasped fistfuls of his mentor's cloak, blinking back hot tears that blurred his vision and burned the back of his throat.

"Why can't I choose my own path?" Danny breathed, his voice cracking. He gave a shuddering sigh, releasing his mentor's cloak.

"But you _do_ choose your own path, Daniel." Clockwork was immediately floating stoically, morphing into a child and offering his charge a hand up. He hid it well, but the spectre was furious as he noted the terror in Danny's every movement and the band of scorched flesh around his thin wrist.

Danny allowed Clockwork to pull him off the floor without a second thought, following the ghost out of the vault and down the corridor once again. This time the teen paid the creatures inhabiting the clocks no heed, keeping his eyes to the floorboards as he chewed on his words before forcing them through his teeth. "I have no say in the matter," Danny spat. "I only have a lifetime with the girl I love, and when that's over I have to rule!" He trailed off, continuing to mutter disdainfully about Observants and kings as his fingers began to form a crystal-clear chain from which to hang his crown.

Clockwork smirked beneath his cowl at Danny's outburst, leading the fuming young man into the same fire-lit, clock-lined room in which he so regularly entertained Death. Danny was easily ushered into a chair, and quieted his mutterings as Clockwork produced a present wrapped in plain black paper and topped with a radioactive green ribbon. "This also belongs to you, Daniel."

Danny huffed. "If it's that blasted ring then I'm not opening it."

The older spectre shook his head slightly, keeping his amused eyes on the confused halfa's face. "No, it's not 'that blasted ring'."

Without further ado Danny tore away the wrapping paper, his mouth falling open at the sight of a new uniform.

The suit was fairly similar to his original, but now the collar, gloves, and boots were black. White trimmed the tops of said gloves and boots in an elegant band, and traced the soles of his boots. The rest of the outfit was sleek black par the familiar DP symbol and a white utility belt to which Danny could clip weapons and the thermos. Overall, the suit had become sleeker, classier, and far more sophisticated with just a few simple changes.

"A cloak _is_ customary for the Ghost King, but I don't think you'll want one until the wings are gone," Clockwork commented with an airy wave of his hand. "However, when you reach maturity, I have one ready for you."

"Thank you," the halfa breathed, overwhelmed by the simple gift. Without pause, Danny got to his feet and phased off his jeans and shoes, pulling the uniform on over his customary black boxers and Phantom-themed shirt. The suit fit snugly, the slits for his wings and tail perfect. The texture of the fabric was not unlike hazmat, but the outfit was much lighter than Danny was accustomed to. However, one glance told the halfa that the fabric would be a lot tougher than anything that humans manufactured – the way his ghostly glow immediately wove and flickered between the fibres like it did with his hair was more than enough to impress the teen.

Clockwork grinned as Danny examined his reflection in the glass case of a grandfather clock. "Now call forth your flames."

The teen cocked his head, turning to face Clockwork again. "How?"

The spectre smirked once more, morphing into a wizened old man. "Phase the ring off the chain you've got around your neck. Then, place it on your head and think about the flame enfolding it."

Danny reluctantly flipped the 'necklace' out from beneath his collar, phasing the silver circlet off the glittering chain and placing it on his head. As it touched his hair the band of silver morphed into the elegant crown once again, and as Danny turned back to the glass he mentally loosed the flames that currently beat within his wrist.

White fire engulfed the crown, creating an otherworldly halo that threw the teen's features into shadow.

Danny stared at his reflection, watching as the uncertain teenage halfa melted away into a powerful young man, his every fibre sizzling with a brilliant white glow. The uniform, wings, and tail were gone, replaced by smart pants, shiny shoes, and a crisp linen shirt. Every article of clothing was the deepest black, and to complete the outfit a soft white cloak flowed to pool at Danny's feet. It was clasped at the left shoulder by a large silver brooch inlaid with emeralds in the shape of Phantom's symbol, and its folds could be fashioned to shape a hood if required.

It was the classiest, most elegant and princely outfit that the halfa had ever worn, and Danny found himself staring at his reflection with mouth agape. After a moment he flushed, fiddling with glittering emerald cufflinks as Clockwork chuckled.

With a flick of thought the halfa trapped the flames beneath the skin of his wrist once more, and as they passed over him the princely garments melted back into a sleek, form-fitting jumpsuit. Danny removed the crown from his head, phasing it back onto the chain before shooting Clockwork a glance. "Is it safe for me to wear it like this?"

The ancient ghost nodded. "You are the only one who can turn that chain _or_ that crown intangible so long as the crown is rightfully yours."

Overcome with gratitude, Danny bowed to his mentor. Clockwork seemed to understand, his kind eyes softening as the teen straightened up once more. "Your family will be waiting for you."

Danny's eyes widened and he practically leaped into the air. "Damn it, they'll be so worried, I slipped away without telling them anything!"

As he flew out of Clockwork's lair Danny could have sworn that he heard the ancient ghost call for him to enjoy his flying lessons.

...

When Danny floated through the Fenton Portal and into the lab he glanced at the clock with a flinch; it was ten in the morning. He had been gone all night! Turning human and hiding his extra limbs, he tromped up the stairs and into the kitchen, inhaling the scent of sausages and general satisfaction.

Maddie and Angela were in the kitchen together, maintaining several frypans whilst simultaneously preparing large bowls of salad. Tucker sat at the table, trying to dislodge several 'cubes' of ice from their ghost-shaped moulds into an empty jug which Sebastian was coiled around. The dragonling was making the teen's job more difficult than it had to be, nipping at his fingers whenever they came within a foot's radius of the jug.

The techno-geek was the first to spot the halfa. "Get this devil's spawn out of my way, would you?" he pleaded, his fingertips spotted with small marks that indicated that although Sebastian had not broken skin, he definitely intended to cause harm.

Danny whistled a pure note and the dragonling took to the air, gliding to hover in front of him. Danny took the baby in his arms, whispering apologies for leaving him alone all day. Sebastian trilled in response, burying his cold nose in the crook of Danny's neck.

Both women turned towards the sound, and Maddie practically flew across the room, examining her baby for any injuries.

"I'm fine, Mum," Danny huffed, trying to keep his burned wrist out of her line of vision. "I just had to go see Clockwork."

After several tense moments Maddie relaxed with a sigh, returning to the stove. "Drink your ectoplasm," she advised, waving her hand dismissively in the direction of a large cup that sat on the bench as though it was waiting for him.

The geek stiffened, glancing at his friend with dread as Danny downed the cup's contents. The halfa noticed, and chuckled. "It's okay, Tuck. I don't have to eat any more ghosts – this stuff comes from trees, kinda like maple syrup."

The boy visibly relaxed, returning to his job as Danny used a finger to collect any drops that were still stuck in the cup.

"We don't have enough ice," Tucker whined.

Danny rolled his eyes before brushing past his friend and filling a large bowl with water at the sink. Seating himself at the table, the halfa plopped Sebastian onto his shoulder and began to mould the water into miniature ice sculptures, his hands and eyes glowing pale blue.

"Cubes would have been fine, you show off," Tucker muttered as the translucent figures of Danny's enemies floated over to the half-dozen jugs.

"But that's no fun," Danny joked, flourishing his hands as a miniature Tucker came into being.

The teen made a grasp for the sculpture of himself before pulling back with an exclamation. "What'd you do this time?" Tucker cried.

Danny flinched, realising belatedly that he'd been waving his burned, _glowing_ wrist around for everyone to see.

Maddie unfortunately didn't have time to press her son for details about his new mark, shooing him upstairs to fetch some bandages as Jack's relatives began to filter through the front door. The halfa realised belatedly that he had returned from his adventure at Clockwork's just in time for one of his parents' spur-of-the-moment family reunions, and grumbled that he should have remained in the Ghost Zone when Grandpa Fenton produced a condiment that accidentally caused the sausages to come to life.

...

Danny escaped from the living room with nothing but a scorched foot – this was miraculous in itself considering the fact that Grandpa Fenton had already demolished the couch and destroyed the wallpaper with his ectogun. Tucker had fled the property half an hour ago, deciding to leave before Grandpa Fenton sent him to hospital with ectoblast burns again. Hurrying up the stairs, Danny slipped into his parents' room, heading for the hidden elevator which would take him to the Ops Centre – he didn't dare use his powers with so many ghost hunters just waiting for their machines to register a smidgen of spectral activity. Maddie and Wilhelmina were already there, and Danny could sense his father moving towards him as well.

Jack lumbered into the elevator, slightly squashing his three family members. "Four to the Ops Centre," the hunter gasped, smoke gently rising from several scorch marks on his suit. He clutched a hissing Eliza in his arms, and the ferret cowered as the elevator closed around them.

A moment later all four halfas stepped into the Fenton Ops Centre, and Danny immediately began to cover Jack's burns with frost. The man sent his son a grateful smile, seating himself on the futon with a groan.

"They're not staying here, right?" Danny whined, transferring a trembling Sebastian from the pocket of his hoodie onto a pillow.

Maddie shook her head. "No, your grandfather was just worried because we haven't been answering the phones for a couple of months. As soon as he realised that we were back he decided to invite himself, as well as the whole Fenton family, here for a _reunion._ Those who travelled a long way will stay at the motel."

Danny moaned, flopping onto the bed next to his father. "So they don't know we're halfas?" the teen muttered into the covers.

Jack shook his head. "They'd most likely blast us if we told them," he announced. "They don't know that halfas exist, and would just assume that we were all possessed or overshadowed."

Will seated herself stonily in one of the plush office chairs gathered around the wall of computers. "That's the trouble with hunters," she hissed, "too narrow-minded."

Jack didn't rise to the bait, instead lowering his shoulders in defeat. "They would never mean to cause us harm," he murmured.

"But you don't know that!" Wilhelmina shouted, leaping to her feet and balling her hands into fists. "Think about what your wife and son have just been put through!"

Jack flinched, and Danny sat up, glaring at his aunt. "That wasn't Dad's fault!" he shouted.

Wilhelmina smiled gently, almost mockingly. "Then who is to blame?"

"I am," the teen announced, continuing despite his parents' loud protestations, "I was too preoccupied to notice the Guys in White sneaking up on me when I was fighting Vlad."

"But why were you fighting an invading ghost in the first place?" Will mused.

Danny visibly bristled. "It's my obsession to protect those that I care about, and this town is my haunt!"

"Halfas only develop haunts and obsessions if they have no access to proper training. Whose fault is that, I wonder?" Will hissed.

Danny growled lowly. "Mine. I didn't tell my parents that I was a halfa, so it's my fault that I didn't get any training."

"Danny, stop," Maddie gasped, collapsing into a chair as tears slid down her cheeks.

The teen shook his head, guilt simmering in his gut as he forced the words through his teeth. "And if you want to keep playing the blame game, _Auntie_ , let me trace everything back to the origin – I didn't tell my parents because I was scared, and because my enemies tend to target those who know my secret. Thus, I was protecting both my parents and myself. This once again places the blame on my shoulders."

Will gave a triumphant grin. "Ah, but you wouldn't have to do any of that if your powers remained dormant like your parents intended them to. And the thing that activated them was your own Father's faulty design!"

"I turned the portal on myself," Danny growled. "I went in there even though I'd been warned that it was dangerous. The lab's a level two spectral biohazard, after all! I was never supposed to go in there without supervision. It's my fault, so don't blame Dad."

Will raised an eyebrow at her nephew's reasoning, and Jack wrapped his arms around his shaking child, pulling him into his lap. The hunter whispered soothing phrases to his trembling son, and Danny leaned into the comforting embrace.

"You go to a lot of trouble to clear your father's name," Wilhelmina mused, seating herself beside the two men. "I didn't mean to upset you, Danny."

The young man nodded into his father's hazmat, and the room lapsed into silence.

Maddie sighed, slumping in her chair. "Danny, what happened to your wrist?"

The teen sighed, extricating himself from his father's grasp and wriggling into the space between Jack and Will. With quick fingers he tugged at the bandage wrapped haphazardly around his burnt skin, revealing the tender flesh. Flipping his hand so that the palm faced upwards, Danny revealed the inside of his wrist, which pulsed with a subdued white light. "Clockwork said that I have to keep the crown with me," he sighed.

Maddie was on her feet in an instant, running cool fingers over her child's wrist. After a moment's inspection she flicked her eyes to meet his. "Can you show me?" the woman breathed.

Danny got to his own feet, lowering his eyes as he turned into Phantom. Maddie raised an eyebrow. "I like your new suit," she commented, and Danny gave her a hesitant smile before his gaze returned to the floor.

"Yeah, Clockwork gave it to me," he murmured, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

White flames engulfed the teen's body, and when they shifted to writhe around the crown the three spectating adults gasped.

Gone was the child they knew and loved, and in his place floated a majestic ghost that radiated power with every breath, his face thrown into shadow by his bangs beneath the flames that writhed above his head. After a moment's silence Danny cracked his eyes open, coming face-to-face with his flabbergasted mother.

"Danny-boy?" Jack breathed from beside him.

Shifting slightly, Danny forced himself to take a deep breath, allowing the air to leak slowly from his lungs. "Yeah," he breathed, inwardly grateful for the fact that the flowing white folds of the cloak fell forwards to hide his shaking hands.

The adults immediately flinched at the power that sizzled within his very speech, and at the look on his mother's face Danny felt his heart clench. "Mum, what's wrong?" he asked.

Maddie shuddered before meeting her son's brilliant green eyes that shone out of a shadowed face. "Nothing, Sweetie." She forced a shaky smile. "This is just going to take some getting used to."

"Yeah," the teen agreed, sending his mother a small smile in return.

Movement behind him had Danny turning towards his father and aunt. Jack was still sitting on the edge of the futon, his eyes fixed on the blazing crown. Wilhelmina had her face pressed to the floor, on her knees and bowing as low as physically possible.

Danny knelt beside her. "Don't do this," he pleaded, his voice cracking. Placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, Danny flinched as though he had been hit when she shied away from his gentle touch. "Please," he begged, reaching out once again. "I never wanted to be King, and I'm not really, not yet. I haven't got the ring, see?" He held up his hand for Will's inspection, his heart faltering when she refused to raise her head from the floor.

"Danny, just leave her," Maddie advised. "She'll come 'round in a day or so."

The teen sighed, moving to sit by his father once again. Jack placed a hesitant arm around his shoulders, and Danny leaned into the embrace.

...

When Grandpa Fenton's Advanced Fenton Ghost Finder Version 9.34 started to whistle, Jazz beat him to the machine. Advising him to go and check if the sausages had managed to escape from the thermos, Jazz took the contraption with her, stealing up the stairs and following its directions to the Ops Centre.

As she stepped out of the lift into the spacious room Jazz felt panic overtake her – wrapping its arms around her father was a majestic ghost that rippled with power, and a flaming crown rested upon its head.

Whipping the Fenton Lipstick from her pocket, Jazz aimed it at the unfamiliar ghost and fired. The beam glanced off the spectre's face without so much as scratching the skin, and as he raised his head the young woman was met with a pair of very familiar green eyes. "Jazz?" the princely figure cried, leaping to his feet.

Recognition slammed into her, and she took a step back in shock. " _Danny?_ "

...

With the crisis downstairs over and Jazz filled in on Danny's new status, Wilhelmina descended in search of Kellie and Kai; the two women had left FentonWorks for the local shopping centre when the first of the Fentons had begun to arrive. Apparently, Fenton reunions had become infamous throughout the Ghost Zone after Ember had been doused with a fire extinguisher and stuffed into a phase-proof turkey the previous thanksgiving; word had quickly spread through the entire Zone that Fenton gatherings were things to be avoided.

Danny had reverted to Phantom form and now stood on the steel floor, shuffling his feet as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

"The suit makes you look older," Jazz remarked, crossing the room and pulling her brother into an embrace. "I like it."

Danny muttered incoherently into her shirt before pulling back. "Why are you here?" he queried.

"I came upstairs to look for you," she sighed.

"No, I mean, why are you _here?_ " Danny cried. "You'll be missing out on uni!"

"I came because I was worried about _you!_ " Jazz shouted, gripping her brother's shoulders before pulling him into another hug. "I heard on the news that the Guys in White kidnapped you, and then tortured and tried to kill you!"

Danny wriggled out of her grasp, sitting with a sigh. "Just me?" he murmured.

Jazz shook her head. "They mentioned another halfa as well, Spirit or something."

Danny looked towards his mother, and Jazz felt her brain come to a screeching halt. "Mum?" she breathed.

Maddie took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and changed. As the transformation completed itself Jazz gave a brusque nod, her eyes lingering over the colour change in hair and eyes. "I wondered if Danny would look like you," she commented, shoving shaking hands into her pockets.

Maddie swept the young woman into her arms, stroking her auburn hair. "We're alright now, Jazz. They can't hurt any of us again," she reassured.

Jazz pulled away gently, seating herself next to Danny. "Yeah, the report said that the Guys in White have been disbanded, and that heaps of them are being tried in court."

Maddie joined her family on the futon. "That's good to hear," she murmured, looping an arm around Jack's waist.

"So what exactly happened?" Jazz asked, leaning into her father's other side.

Jack obligingly placed his arm around her shoulders as Danny cleared his throat. "I got caught," the teen said simply, fondling his purring companion behind the ears and on the back of the neck. "The day you went home, Vlad attacked me on the way to school. I just thought it was his usual fruit loopy plan, so I got really into trading insults and doing fancy manoeuvres. I didn't notice the white-suited morons sneaking up on us, and the next thing I knew, I was wrapped in chains and gagged with my ghost powers bound. They dragged me home, and used the threat of seriously hurting me to catch Mum. Then Dad got chased into the Ghost Zone, and they broke the portal.

"We were taken to a lab, and I don't know what they did to Mum, but I…" Danny shuddered, shuffling his wings. "Th-they…"

Maddie pulled the shaking boy into her lap and began to rub his back. Jazz moved to crouch in front of the teen, reaching up to grasp his chin and force him to look at her. "Danny, you have to talk about it," she murmured. "I promise that it'll help the pain and fear to lessen."

The shuddering teen met his sister's eyes. "Promise?" he whispered.

Jazz nodded. "I promise."

Danny took a shuddering breath before beginning to stammer. "I-I wo-woke up, and… There was a lab, and I was on a table… Th-they…" he gulped, forcing the words from where they stuck in his throat. "Th-they plugged my core into a… a _machine,_ and it hurt. I think it was supposed to figure out… t-to figure out h-how I-I _w-w-work,_ " he spluttered.

Jazz digested the implications of his words, her gaze softening. Taking Danny's hand, she used her thumbs to trace soothing circles on the underside of his scarred and calloused palm. The halfa took strength from the contact, drawing in a shaky lungful of air before continuing in a quiet, trembling voice. "I g-got really cold, and they brought Mum into… into the _enclosure_ I was trapped in… B-but we weren't there f-for long. I slept a bit, and when I woke up… Vlad was there, _Vlad_ was the one wh-who…" he gave a slight gasp, squeezing his sister's fingers.

"I-I should stop," Danny breathed, feeling Maddie tense behind him.

"No," Jazz said firmly, lacing her fingers in his. "You have to keep going, get it all out…"

Closing his eyes, the teen nodded, continuing even though his voice faltered and his mother's arms began to shake. "W-we were taken to… t-to the lab again… a-and V-Vlad strapped me down. He… No anaesthetic… I-I c-couldn't… couldn't m-move… He…" giving a moan, Danny buried his face in his hands.

"Danny?" Jazz cried, her warm fingers gently closing over his wrists. With a strangled sob, the teen phased out of his suit and shirt, sitting only in boxers as Jazz screamed at the sight of the puckered Y-shaped scar that reached from navel to collarbone.

...

Jim had hidden in the room that he shared with Jazz as soon as Grandpa Fenton began the battle of the undead sausages. As footsteps hurriedly ascended the stairs and raced past the door he decided that he was still far too exposed, and from that moment onwards hid in the closet, leaving the door ajar by only a crack. After all, it is incredibly foolish to shut oneself in a wardrobe.

Even when the commotion downstairs died down, he did not emerge. Instead, Jiremy Hunter firmly seated himself on a cardboard box of books squashed between the pile of stuffed animals and a stack of ghost hunting magazines. Flicking overlong bangs of sandy hair out of his eyes – not that it made any difference in the dark closet – the paranormal philosophy student realised that it was time that he had a serious think about his life choices.

How the _hell_ did he end up squatting in an overfull closet while a group of insane hunters tried to re-kill their own undead sausages downstairs?

Rubbing at his temples, Jim decided to do some self-analysis.

He was there because he loved Jazmine, and would do anything for her. That much, he was certain of. But Jazz's family was _insane!_ And then there was the matter of her having a dead brother who still somehow got confused with her live one. But _why_ did the Fentons have ectoweapon dispensers in every room of their house if Dantè lived there? Come to think of it, he hadn't seen the ghost since his arrival over a week ago.

Shrugging the thought off for now, Jim returned to his main topic of cogitation; if he truly loved Jazz, he shouldn't let her bizarre family get in the way of things. They had accepted him with very little apprehension, and he would accept them as well.

As he moved to stand up, the man frowned, returning to a sitting position.

The Fentons didn't trust him.

Not even Jazz had told him everything about Phantom, and he doubted that the Dantè story told by Daniel even scratched the surface.

What sort of idiotic parents called their identical twins Daniel and Dantè anyway? And _why_ were both referred to as 'Danny'? Wouldn't it be more logical to give one of them the nickname 'Dan', and the other 'Danny'?

Unless that strange blue ghost that threatened Daniel with boxes actually did have a point, and Phantom wasn't really dead…

With a sigh, Jim fingered the tiny box in his pocket. The Fentons were too unpredictable, too bizarre. But even if they never confirmed his suspicions, Jiremy Hunter reasoned that they only kept secrets to protect their children.

Standing up, Jim left the closet, placing his ear against the bedroom door in order to confirm that all was quiet downstairs. Continuing to finger the jewellery box in his pocket, the man entered the hallway, squaring his shoulders.

A scream echoed above him, and Jim paled as he recognised his girlfriend's voice.

There were no stairs leading upwards, but Jim knew from looking at the exterior of the building that there was a level that he had never ascended to. Quickly abandoning his search for the inner access to the attic space, Jim climbed out Jazz's window, and from there scaled the tree that reached its branches over the house.

Dropping from a branch onto the roof, Jim noted that he was on some sort of observation platform. The FentonWorks sign shone in the gloaming, and if he turned in a full circle Jim could see the entire town. He noted with a sigh of relief that the various Fenton vehicles were gone, indicating that the raucous guests had left for the time being.

A door was located near one end of the roof, and the student hurried towards it, finding to his delight that it was unlocked. Checking his watch, the man noted with satisfaction that it had been only seven minutes since Jazz screamed.

He pulled open the door, silently descending down the curved stairs and peeking around the corner into a steel room lined with computers and blinking lights.

...

Jazz began to cry, running her fingertips over the puckered pink scar. Danny haltingly forced the words out, explaining in broken sentences that Vlad had vivisected him without anaesthetic, slowly cutting away at the fully-conscious teen in order to collect a few samples.

Danny cried as well, his voice hitching as he gasped out the rest of the narration, up to where he lost consciousness in the tube. After that he fell silent, shaking his head and burying it in Maddie's shoulder with a sob.

"We were saved by my clan," Maddie murmured, rocking her son gently. "They got there just in time and beat Vlad and the Guys in White senseless before sucking them into a thermos and freeing us. Danny had to go to hospital, and was in a coma for several weeks."

Jazz was pale-faced and trembling as she voiced her only question. "How did your clan know to save you?"

Jack shifted, keeping his eyes on the floor. "Erm, that would be thanks to me."

"He let them turn him into a halfa!" Danny wailed, keeping his face pressed against his mother's shirt.

Jazz stilled, all remaining colour leeching from her cheeks. "Show me," she breathed.

Jack snapped the ring into place around his waist, flinching as the sting spread over his body and momentarily stilled his heart.

With a strangled sob, Jazz threw her arms around her father, reaching out to pull Danny and Maddie into the embrace as well. They all began to cry then, each person whispering words of comfort and trying to find solace in each other's arms.

With a panicked shriek, somebody fell down the stairs that led to the observation deck.

...

Jiremy watched in horror as Jazz ran her fingers across a ragged dissection scar on Phantom's chest. _Or if my suspicions are correct, is it from a vivisection?_ Shaking off that particular thought, the student pressed himself against the curve of the wall, peeking around at Jazz and Jack as they interacted with two glowing figures.

Phantom was talking about a 'fruit loop' named Vlad cutting him up, and Jim found himself flinching at the details. The eavesdropper gave a quiet sigh when the narration reached its end and the female ghost detailed their rescue, but his relief was short-lived. Jack Fenton, ghost hunter extraordinaire, turned into a glowing spectre right in front of Jim's stunned eyes.

As Jiremy tried to regain his thoughts, the four figures shared an embrace. With a sharp intake of breath, Jim decided that he had intruded for long enough on the private scene, and turned to return to the roof.

As he did so, he tripped over his own feet on the narrow staircase, tumbling down the steps to land in a heap on the steel floor.

Jim quailed beneath Jazmine's glare, trying to scoot backwards and wishing that he could turn invisible. "And _what,_ " she hissed, "are _you_ doing up here?"

Jim felt his heart drop to his toes as he scrambled to his feet. "You… I heard you screaming, and when I couldn't find stairs to the attic I climbed the tree to the roof…" he trailed off, realising that the three spectres were approaching. "I-I swear, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I usually don't do stuff like that, b-but I heard Jazz scream, and when I got up here she was crying a-and… I-I'm sorry, please don't vaporise me!" he begged, falling to his knees at the ghosts' feet and pressing his forehead against the floor.

Phantom kneeled in front of him. "How much were you here for?" the ghost asked gently.

Jim risked a glance at the teen's scarred face, and found it filled with concern for _him._ "Y-you were talking about a fruit loop guy c-cutting you up, and then the other ghost finished the story before J-Jack turned… h-he _turned into_ a g-ghost…" Gulping, the man bowed his head again. "P-Please d-d-don't hurt m-me, I only c-came t-to see if J-Jazz was okay!"

Phantom sat there, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. After a moment he began to shake, pressing a hand against his mouth. Jim flinched away, thinking that the ghost was going to blast him into smithereens. Instead, the glowing teen rocked back on his heels, threw his head towards the ceiling, and _laughed._

...

Danny really couldn't help himself. All that stress and the trouble that they had taken in order to keep Jim in the dark, and it had crumbled in a matter of unguarded moments. Granted, the guy was determined to be there for Jazz – none of her previous boyfriends had ever gone so far as to descend into the lab, let alone fly her to Amity Park and scale the fir tree to its fragile upper branches in order to ensure her safety. Danny had initially had his doubts about the man who hid from the Box Ghost beneath the kitchen table, but now he was forced to admit that Jiremy Hunter was honestly and hopelessly devoted to Jazz.

And perhaps the guy really _did_ deserve to know.

Danny looked towards his family. "I'm going to get dressed, and then Jim and I are going to have a little talk," he announced, straightening up and phasing on his shirt and suit. "Mum, please mind Sebastian until we return."

Jiremy gulped, scooting backwards on his bum as Danny approached once again. With a smirk, the halfa leaned down and gripped the shaking man by the upper arms, hoisting him into the air and wrapping an arm around his chest.

...

Jim bit back a shriek as Phantom lifted him off the floor and flew through the wall. They soared invisibly over the town, and despite the situation, Jim found himself marvelling at the beauty of the city as the last rays of sunlight melted into darkness. Phantom swooped around the city square in a lazy circle before alighting on top of the clock tower, and Jim yelped in alarm as the ghost let go of him.

A moment later Phantom landed beside the student, planting gloved hands firmly on slim hips and taking in a deep breath. The teen turned glowing emerald eyes onto Jim, and the man found himself staring at the ragged scars that marred his fair skin.

"How devoted are you to my sister?" Phantom demanded.

Jim was rather startled by the teen's abruptness. _He's certainly not beating around the bush._ "I'd die for her."

Phantom frowned. "I need you to _live_ for her, Jim. It's my job to die for her; Death'll at least allow _me_ to come back."

The human furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't quite follow," he murmured.

Phantom turned away from him, hugging himself as he stared out at the darkening horizon. "What's your dream in life?"

Jim once again reached down to touch the smooth surface of the box in his pocket. "I'm going to be a paranormal philosopher, and when Jazz and I graduate, we'll work together to write books which will be read by every ghost hunter there is. Guys like you will _never_ be targeted again," he stated vehemently.

Danny jolted, turning to face the man with slack arms and open mouth. Jim smirked at the ghost's flabbergasted expression before pulling his trump card. "But no matter what, I assure that I will give up everything that I've ever wanted to be by her side and protect her until the end of the world." He produced the box somewhat shyly. "I was hoping to propose to her on a date tomorrow night, you see…"

His words were suddenly cut off by a pair of glowing arms that were thrown around his shoulders.

After a moment Danny pulled away, flushing. "S-sorry," the teen stuttered, "I've become a bit clingy lately… Blame the wings."

Jim was suddenly painfully aware of exactly how thin the boy actually was. "No, I don't mind," he murmured, "but thanks for the positive reaction. For a minute back at FentonWorks I thought you were going to blast me into tiny pieces, so I should be the one apologising."

Danny shook his head, taking a couple of steps back. "I haven't been exactly honest with you."

Jiremy frowned. "It's your secret, Phantom."

The teen started. "You know?" he gasped.

Jim shook his head. "Nah, I just know that it's something big. But don't tell me until you're ready, okay, Dantè?"

Phantom flinched. "Actually, my name's Daniel. I never had a twin."

Jim sat down heavily, his legs suddenly failing to support his weight. "Daniel?" he gasped.

The ghost sat next to him. "I prefer to be called Danny." Danny sent the pale-faced man a glance sidelong through white bangs. "Your first guess was correct – I'm half ghost."

As if to further prove his point, Phantom turned to Fenton in a flash of light. Jim said nothing, so Danny shrugged and decided to explain. "My mum's a halfa by birth. Jazz inherited her human gene, while I inherited the ghost one. When my parents built the ghost portal three and a half years ago, it didn't work. They were really crushed, and so I decided to take a look to see if anything was really out of place. Sam and Tuck were with me, but I was the only person to actually enter the portal.

"While I was inside, I tripped over a wire and landed against the wall, pressing the on button in the process. The ectoplasmic infusion was enough to activate my powers, and I came out as Phantom."

Jiremy got to his feet, paced for a moment, and then turned to the apprehensive teen with a grin. "So you're not dead?"

Danny shook his head, getting to his own feet. "Nah, just half ghost."

The student nodded. "Right," he murmured.

The halfa grinned, extending his hand for Jim to shake. "Welcome to the family, Jim."

...

Danny returned Jiremy to FentonWorks and fed Sebastian before going on patrol. As he floated and flipped above the town, the teen allowed a giddy smile to overtake his features. _He'll be good for her,_ Danny realised. This thought caused him to laugh out loud, and he performed three corkscrewing backflips before falling towards the ground.

Catching himself just before he hit the pavement, Danny launched himself into the sky like a stone loosed from a slingshot, whooping. He felt like he could fly to the stars without so much as getting out of breath, traversing the galaxy to infinity and beyond.

The teen chuckled at his own folly, flipping upside-down and walking along the bottom of a wisp of cloud with perfect precision.

His phone began to ring and the teen jolted, his body floating up into the cloud at the distraction. With a mild curse he turned intangible to avoid becoming saturated, and placed the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

" _Can you please land and talk to the people waiting at the fountain?"_ Maddie's voice crackled through the speakers.

Danny shrugged. "Alright. Anything else?"

" _Avoid your grandfather if he decides to go hunting. I'll see you later, Sweetheart."_

Danny grimaced. "Yeah, see you later." Hanging up, he dived towards the ground, catching his descent to hover cross-legged in front of a man flanked by two bodyguards.

The familiar visage almost had Danny falling out of the air. "President Hartman!" he gasped, righting himself and touching his feet to the floor respectfully. "Aren't you out a bit late?"

The man chuckled, his dark eyes sparkling. "Not at all, Mr Phantom. It's only nine-thirty."

Danny flushed, ducking his head. "Call me Danny," he mumbled, raising his eyes to look at the older man.

The President smiled, motioning down the path. "Would you walk with me, Danny?"

Danny nodded, falling into step beside the man. As they began to turn about the paved square, President Hartman sighed. "I know who you are, Danny. And I must apologise for the way that you and your mother were treated."

Danny waved a dismissive hand. "They were working for Vlad, not you," he stated firmly.

The President inclined his head. "Do you know why I am here to see you?" he asked.

Danny shrugged. "Wouldn't have a clue," he stated.

The man motioned to a bench, and Danny sat next to him, frowning as the elder tilted his head back and inhaled deeply. "It's been a mild winter, don't you think?"

The halfa huffed. "I wouldn't know – I missed most of it." The fountain's soft splashing mingled with the sound of distant traffic, and Danny briefly wondered if it would be incredibly rude of him to ask if they could move this conversation to The Nasty Burger; thanks to the flight, he was _starving_.

President Hartman fixed his eyes on the boy, and Danny shifted uncomfortably. "What do you want to do, Danny?"

The halfa started. " _What?_ "

The man's eyes crinkled with mirth. "What are your dreams?" he queried.

Danny lowered his head, letting out a heavy sigh. "It doesn't matter anymore," he murmured, "I had to throw it all away."

The man was insistent. "Tell me," he coaxed.

For a moment he could have sworn that he saw a faintly glowing tear slip down Phantom's cheek in the moonlight.

"I wanted to be an astronaut," Danny murmured, his voice cracking. "It was my childhood dream, to touch the stars and leave everything else behind." He tilted his head back, taking in a shuddering breath as he stared at the expanse above. "I'm so selfish," he breathed. "I can fly wherever there's air to breathe, I have these awesome abilities, my family accepts me for who I am… But to have that dream ripped away from me…" He buried his face in gloved hands, trying to swallow the threatening tears. "Now, with Phantom's existence, Fenton's useless. So long as I protect this town twenty-four seven, I'll never be able to keep a job."

The man seated beside the teen felt his heart begin to ache. _This_ was why he had come here at a time when he could meet the boy without the press intruding on what had always promised to be a very personal conversation for Danny. The maturity of the boy astounded the man, and he knew that the offer that he was about to make was the right one. "I can help you," he offered in a gentle voice.

Danny shook his head, sitting up to glare at his uninvited guest. "How? I don't want pity."

"I'm not offering this out of pity," the President stated firmly, "I'm offering you payment for a job well done."

This got Danny's attention. He fixed his eyes on the man's face, his own visage curious. "What have _I_ done?" he demanded.

President Hartman gave the glowing teen a genuine smile. "You hunt ghosts. I already have your parents' permission since you're still a minor and it _is_ a dangerous job, but if you wish, I will employ you as a professional ghost hunter. You'll receive a full-time wage the same as any professional ghost hunter, as well as scholarships to any ghost-related degree at a university of your choice. In addition, you have access to any government resources you require to complete your job."

Danny blinked, a hysterical giggle bubbling somewhere in his chest. It took several seconds for the man's offer to sink into his stunned brain, but when it did, the boy burst into tears. It was as though a great burden had suddenly been lifted from his mind, and he realised that he would never again have to deal with the possibility that he would end up homeless and without income simply because being Phantom got in the way of employment.

The President smiled as the speechless teen threw arms around his shoulders, returning the hug with a chuckle.

...

To say that Danny had been worried about returning to school would be an understatement. For the first couple of days he was uncharacteristically jumpy, and avoided his peers as best he could during breaks. Sebastian seemed to be permanently fixed to his shoulder, and soon enough the entire school steered clear of the loser that babysat Phantom's tiny companion – that dragonling nipped at anyone it didn't like, and several of Danny's classmates had received bloody fingertips over the first couple of days.

It wasn't until Thursday that everything went horribly wrong.

...

Danny and Sam waved Tucker towards his computer lab with Mr Faluca, heading in the direction of their own class. Toggling his heavy books, Danny held the door for Sam and ushered her into the Biology lab, suppressing small shudders that ran down his spine. _It's just a high school classroom, Fenton. Nothing's going to hurt you._ Despite his thoughts, the teen was shaking violently by the time Sam had led him to their desk. Sebastian, sensing his companion's anxiety, began to preen Danny's hair. The action soothed the halfa, and Sebastian trilled happily, crooning as Danny reached up to stroke him.

Lancer called the roll before distributing the frogs, absentmindedly reminding Danny to put on a lab coat and gloves, and the halfa did as he was told, trying to quell his tremors. Sam placed her hand on his, frowning at the teen's obvious distress. After taking a couple of deep breaths, Danny closed his eyes and forced himself to think of something that made him happy. Settling his mind on flying, the teen allowed his thoughts to sink into a stupor as he re-lived the previous night's patrol, the light breeze playing through soft white locks and caressing his face…

The snap of latex gloves jolted the halfa back to reality, and Danny felt his breathing hitch as he noticed the tray of scalpels. Next to this, a frog's corpse lay on its back, glistening limbs tethered to pull its body taut.

_The cold shackles closed around his wrists and ankles with audible snaps, and with a slight sting a needle was slid into his forearm._

Danny took a step back from the steel bench, his chest heaving as his glassy eyes stared at the tray of sterilised equipment. Sebastian let out an anxious whine, burying his nose in Danny's ear in a vain attempt to attract his companion's attention.

Sam noticed her friend's behaviour and made an extraordinary offer, considering the fact that she had never so much as donned lab coat and gloves in the past. "Danny, if you don't want to do it then I'll cut it up."

_Pain ripped through his body as Vlad pressed the scalpel to a spot just beneath his navel, tearing through the outer flesh of Danny's abdomen. The incision continued until the blade collided with Danny's sternum, producing a sickening tapping sound as it buried its tip in bone._

With a shuddering gasp Danny backed into Dash's table behind them, pressing so hard against it that the tap dug into his spine. His gut roiled and the halfa dry-swallowed, trying to fight down his panic.

_Screams tore at his throat until there was no voice left, and yet Vlad still continued to slice with the tiny blade and those damned_ scissors _, bringing new ripples of pain and further strangled cries._

Turning to the inlaid sink that he had pressed against, Danny felt bile rise in his throat, and with a choking cry he threw up.

As the teen wiped at his mouth, Mr Lancer raced to his side. All Danny registered was a white-coated figure whose gloved hands hovered over his own frail limbs, and with a shriek the halfa pressed back against the bench once more, his terrified blue eyes fixed on the case of scalpels that was in the front pocket of his teacher's lab coat.

The man reached towards him again and Danny screamed, flinching and turning intangible instinctively – Mr Lancer's hand passed through his shoulder as though it didn't exist. In his blind panic, the teen lost control of his carefully maintained disguise, and the glittering wings and tail flickered into the visible spectrum as illusions slid from his skin. A collective gasp rose from the class, and Star let loose a shrill scream as his scars caught the light.

Danny pawed childishly at his aching chest as Lancer drew his hand back. "D-don't vivisect me," the teen begged in a broken voice as tears streamed down his cheeks. "N-never a-a-again!"

Bright amethyst eyes set within an angelic face came into Danny's view, and a gentle voice commanded his thoughts. "Come on, Danny. Just look at me, you're going to be fine," the girl soothed.

Danny regained tangibility, keeping his eyes on Sam's as she grasped his wrist, leading him across the classroom in the direction of the door. "N-nobody's gunna cut me open again?" he choked.

Sam shook her head slightly. "You're safe here," she murmured.

Danny nodded, squeezing her hand and continuing to follow those beautiful purple eyes as his tiny companion trilled in his ear.

About halfway across the room the halfa bumped into the corner of Paulina and Star's bench, stumbling over his own feet in a bid to regain his balance. The motion caused Danny to break eye contact with Sam, and in his scramble, his vision locked with Paulina.

_A woman with long, dark hair and disdainfully cold eyes twisted him by the hair. When he tried to hold her hostage, the searing electricity slammed into his core, rendering him unable to move or even think straight…_

With a graceless moan, Danny fainted, crumpling to the floor like a broken marionette.


	21. Tenebrae

" _The Chronicles of Narnia_ , take your seats!" Mr Lancer bellowed, using the voice that he usually reserved for assigning detentions in the large assembly hall. Every conscious student flinched, and surprisingly slipped back to their places behind the benches. The room, which a moment ago had been filled with cries and exclamations, fell silent.

Sam was kneeling beside Danny's crumpled form, trying to untangle his wings from where they had caught between the legs of the table. Lancer shook his head slightly. "Miss Manson, leave him there; those wings look rather fragile."

Sam looked like she as going to argue, but the teacher sent her his best glare. The girl wavered before slumping her shoulders with a sigh of defeat, removing her jacket to place beneath the boy's head. Leaning back on her heels, the teen tilted her head back to meet the teacher's eyes. "I'm going to call the Fentons," she announced.

Lancer nodded again. "Yes, please do. Are they aware of Mr Fenton's condition?"

Sam inclined her head before turning to her pocket and producing a sleek black phone. She dialled the number from memory, holding the device to her ear and praying that someone would answer.

" _Fenton residence, Maddie speaking."_

_Thank goodness._ "Maddie, it's Sam," she said a calmly as she could.

" _Is everything okay?"_ The woman's voice was tinged with worry, and Sam realised at that moment that telling his parents his secret had been one of the best things that Danny ever did.

"No, not really. We had Biology class, you see, and we're supposed to be doing dissections of frogs." Maddie's sharp intake of breath had Sam's heart faltering. "Danny freaked out and fainted, and we can't move him 'cause his wings are tangled in the legs of the table and-"

" _Shhh,"_ Maddie soothed over the line as Sam's voice broke, _"I'm coming now."_

The woman hung up with a click, and Sam slowly removed the phone from her ear. "She's coming now," she murmured, feeling tears begin to slip down her cheeks as the gravity of the situation slammed into her.

The teacher moved back to the front of the classroom, holding each of his students with a steely glare. "Some of you may have already figured out the truth," he said quietly. "However, this is Mr Fenton's secret. None of you are to so much as _breathe a word_ about this to _anyone_ , do I make myself clear?"

"B-but he's Phantom…" Dash stuttered, his face far paler than usual.

" _Not another word, Mr Baxter!"_ The teacher roared. "Could you, or anyone else in this room, honestly betray the only secret of the boy to whom we all owe our lives several times over?"

Dash quailed beneath his teacher's furious expression. "N-no, I w-won't say anything," he stammered.

The rest of the class agreed in soft tones. Mr Lancer sighed, slipping out of his white coat. "Everyone, close your cases of scalpels and take off your coats and gloves. I'll pack up the frogs, so please make your way to the library, where I will meet you all as soon as Mr Fenton has been collected."

The class silently did as they were bid, filing from the room in an orderly fashion for what was probably the first time that year.

Sam still refused to budge from Danny's side, holding his hand gently in hers. Mr Lancer knew better than to try to make her leave, and turned to cleaning up the room instead.

...

Maddie slipped out of the house and into the GAV, feeling her gut roil. As she revved the engine, the woman tightened her fingers around the steering wheel and took a deep breath before flooring the gas. Most people who had to jump out of the way or slam on the brakes to avoid the speeding vehicle simply assumed that Jack was chasing a ghost again, and paid the incident no heed.

Maddie arrived at the school after taking a shortcut through the park and running three red traffic lights. Turning invisible, she phased out of the car and walked straight into the school, sneaking past the reception area and heading directly for the Biology lab.

Standing outside the door the huntress became visible once again, taking several deep breaths in order to steady her racing thoughts. _It's just a high school classroom,_ she reassured herself before placing her shaking hand on the handle and stepping over the threshold.

Mr Lancer was in the process of cleaning up un-dissected frog corpses, and it took Maddie a moment to notice two forms on the floor in-between a couple of desks.

"William?" she called.

The teacher's head shot up, his eyes crinkling. "Maddie, thank goodness," he breathed, motioning between the desks. "Daniel… He had a panic attack or something."

The woman was there in a heartbeat, kneeling beside Sam and running gentle hands over her son's tangled wings. The teacher hovered uncertainly behind them, and Maddie turned her head towards him. "William, I guess you want an explanation."

Mr Lancer shook his head. "Not at all. Daniel explained his half-ghost status to me on Friday, and the class has agreed to remain silent regarding the issue."

The woman breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she whispered before turning back to her unconscious son.

Sebastian was curled up in the crook of Danny's neck, trying to bring his companion back by nibbling on his ear. Maddie gently moved the trilling creature, placing him on her own shoulder. She took a deep breath and shot the teacher another glance before deciding _the hell with it_ and phasing her son out from between the legs of the bench.

Lancer's breathing hitched, but he otherwise made no sound. Maddie gently took Danny in her arms and stood, carrying the unconscious child from the room, his wings and tail scraping the floor with every step.

...

Dash paced the library, clenching and unclenching his fingers. _What have I done?_

The rest of the class watched silently from their seats, and the jock continued to turn about the open study space, pacing from one wall to the other. _Damn it._ How had he been so blind? "Damn it all to hell!" Dash screamed, slamming his fist into the wall.

The class jumped, but the librarian was mercifully nowhere to be seen. Dash turned to his peers. "Did anybody know?" he demanded.

Heads shook in unison, and Kwan sighed. "How could we know, Dash? He tried to keep it a _secret_."

The jock collapsed into a chair, staring at his shaking hands. "I-I beat him up… And he never said a word, even though…" Shaking his head, the boy screwed his eyes shut as tears began to leak down his cheeks. "How can a kid have so many _scars_ and still take a beating every day?" he screamed, pressing his palms to his eyes. "How many of those injuries did I re-open…? Damn it…" he trailed off, swallowing the sobs that threatened to slip through his lips.

When he opened his eyes, his peers all had tears shining in their eyes and on their cheeks.

"What sick bastard cuts up someone?" Star whispered.

"But, is Fenton _really_ Phantom?" Nathan asked in a quiet voice.

Mr Lancer's answer came from the doorway, making his students start. "That is neither here nor there, Mr Jones. Mr Fenton has the right to keep his extracurricular lifestyle from those he interacts with at school, and I expect you _all_ to respect that."

Nathan nodded. "Yes, sir," he breathed as Sam trudged into the room.

The teacher sighed before directing his students to log on to the library's computers, instructing them to find clips of frog dissections on the school's educational database. As they hurried to do as he bid, Mr Lancer seated himself heavily, pressing his palms against his eyes and trying to calm his tumultuous thoughts.

He had almost accomplished this when Star shrieked that Kwan had hacked the filter and was looking at porn.

...

Danny moaned and opened his eyes to glare at the dragonling that nibbled on his earlobe. "Sebastian?" he slurred, reaching up to rub the sleep from his eyes. The creature trilled at the sound of his companion's voice, squealing delightedly when Danny reached up to rub at ivory scales speckled with azure.

Danny glanced at his clock, confused to note that it read two-thirty even though sunlight streamed through his open window. With a gasp he sat up, eyes widening as the memories of that morning surged to the forefront of his mind.

"Crap," he hissed, transferring the chattering dragon to perch on his left shoulder. Sebastian chirruped, and Danny ventured into the hallway.

He followed his ghost sense downstairs, the tendrils of ice coiling around the halfa's spine leading him towards the kitchen.

Maddie was seated at the table, a steaming mug clasped in her sender fingers as she spoke on the phone. "Yes, I'm sure…" she muttered. "He should be fine… He'll come and go as he needs to, with or without the teacher's permission… I don't care if it's against your policy… Yes… Alright… Goodbye, Principal Ishiyama." With a sigh the woman placed the phone on the table before staring moodily at the contents of her mug.

Danny cleared his throat, descending the final few steps and seating himself beside his mother. "Mum?"

Maddie smiled wanly. "It's alright, Sweetie – Mr Lancer has already sorted everything out."

The teen clenched his fists, forcing himself to breathe through his nose in an effort to keep calm. "I… J-just the lab a-and everyone in white and wearing gloves…" With a strangled cry, Danny buried his face in his folded arms. "Why am I such a coward?!" he screamed into his scarred forearms.

"I don't think you're a coward," Dash's voice came softly from the door.

Danny's head shot up, sapphire eyes growing wide at the sight of his tormentor. Maddie frowned and slowly stood, addressing the uninvited youth. "I'm sorry, but Danny's not really-"

"No, it's okay," the halfa interrupted, not moving his gaze from Dash's own blue eyes, shocked to find them red-rimmed and puffy. He stood, motioning towards the stairs. "Come on, Dash. We'll talk in my room."

Dash sent Danny an unreadable look before following the halfa to the second floor. Danny ushered the teen through his bedroom door, barely catching Sebastian in time to prevent the dragonling from burying sharp little fangs in the passing jock's bicep.

Dash raised an eyebrow at the NASA posters covering the walls and the model spaceships that hung from the ceiling, but refrained from mentioning them. This unnerved the halfa further, as he had been certain that the bully would ridicule him on account of the décor.

Danny seated himself on the edge of the unmade bed, fisting his fingers in dark blue sheets. He kept his eyes averted from his guest, preferring instead to reach for the block of chocolate on his bedside table and break a row into little pieces for his noisy winged companion.

Dash sat in the chair, accepting the offered piece of chocolate with muttered thanks. Once Sebastian had quieted and was contentedly licking a square clasped in Danny's fingers, the smaller boy met his tormentor's eyes. "Why are you here?"

Dash averted his gaze, suddenly finding his shoelaces rather interesting. The halfa huffed, shifting into a more comfortable position. Instead of pressing the jock, Danny chose to wait until Dash was comfortable enough to speak.

After a moment of silence, the halfa felt an itch coil beneath the scales near the tip of his tail. Conscious of Dash's eyes on him, the boy reluctantly reached down to scratch the afflicted spot on the invisible appendage.

"What's with the wings and tail?" the jock enquired, his expression one of genuine curiosity.

Danny shrugged, trying to keep his answer nonchalant. If Dash wasn't going to give him answers, then the guy had better get used to receiving only the bare minimum. "The Guys in White stuffed up my shape shifting. Isn't Lancer pissed at you for skipping?"

"You skip all the time," Dash retorted. However, his voice contained none of the malice that he had reserved for his favourite victim since freshman year. Danny shifted again, coiling his invisible tail around the bedpost as the guest took a shuddering breath.

"But I have reason to," Danny reminded him in a quiet voice.

Dash glanced at the boy's scarred visage before quickly returning his gaze to the carpet. "Yeah," he whispered shakily, folding his hands within his lap.

Danny offered him another piece of chocolate. When Dash simply stared at the large brown chunk, the halfa gave a small grin. "Take this, it'll help."

Dash rolled his eyes. "Are you seriously referencing Harry Potter?"

Danny flashed his guest a genuine grin. "And here I was thinking that you wouldn't notice."

The jock chuckled slightly and took the confection from his peer's outstretched hand. "We like the same chocolate," he mused before breaking the chunk into small squares and popping one into his mouth.

The halfa's eyes widened. "No way!" he exclaimed. "I don't know _anyone_ who likes their chocolate this bitter!"

"Neither do I," Dash conceded, feeling a grin overtake his features.

Danny broke off a square for himself, only to have Sebastian steal it from his fingers. Dash felt the smile seep off his face at the dragon's sudden movements, the reason for his visit hitting him full-force once again.

"May I ask what happened?" the jock murmured. At Danny's quizzical look he elaborated. "You know, back at school…"

The halfa stiffened slightly. "Just PTSD," he answered crisply, "I'll get over it eventually."

Dash shook his head in wonder. "What did those bastards _do_ to you?"

Danny cocked his head to the side, fixing sapphire eyes on Dash's own dark blue. "What bastards?"

"Dammit, don't play dumb with me!" the jock shouted, slamming his fist into his own thigh. "We all know you're Phantom, okay? What did the Guys in White _do_?"

"Why do you care?" Danny shouted back, his voice shaking.

"Because I'd be a douche not to! How _guilty_ do you think I feel, knowing that every single time I beat you up or shoved you into a locker I was probably aggravating one of the injuries that caused those scars!" Fisting his fingers in his hair, Dash let his head drop so that he didn't have to look at the trembling, pale-faced teen seated in front of him.

For a long moment the only sounds were Sebastian's whimpers and the boys' heavy, rasping breaths.

"Vivisection," Danny mumbled. Dash's head shot up and he stared wide-eyed at his shaking classmate. "They chopped me up, without any sort of anaesthetic."

Dash felt the blood drain from his cheeks, his gut twisting as air caught in his throat. _What?_

"Urgh, I'm such a damned coward," the sable-haired teen groaned, pressing his hands against closed eyes. "I can't even handle a high school lab…"

The jock felt his own hands begin to shake. "You're the bravest person I've ever met, and I… I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. The class is gunna keep your secret."

Getting to his feet, the fair-haired teen found himself smirking at the astonished look on Danny's face. Without further attempts at conversation, the football star slipped into the hallway and down the stairs, leaving FentonWorks and heading in the direction of school. Football training would begin in about twenty minutes, and he knew now that he could focus fully on the practice without overwhelming guilt welling up with every thought.

However, just because it no longer crushed his mind didn't mean that the guilt hadn't disappeared entirely.

...

Danny didn't sleep well that night. At about three in the morning he gave up on even trying, and tiptoed past a sleeping Tucker and Sebastian. Once out in the hallway, where the light wouldn't wake his slumbering friends, Danny transformed and flew through the wall. Looping over Amity Park, he phased into FentonWorks before creeping down the hall to his bedroom. A light was visible from beneath the door, so he knocked quietly.

At the occupant's quiet "Come in," Danny turned the knob and entered.

Alicia looked up from her book, frowning at the sight of her nephew. "Danny?"

The teen shuffled his feet and ducked his head. "I-I just wanted to come and get my computer, since Tucker'll murder me if I touch his," he mumbled.

The woman sighed, patting the covers beside her. Danny followed her unspoken request, seating himself beside his aunt and allowing her to pull him into her arms. "How are you?" she murmured, running gentle fingers through pitch-black locks.

Danny melted into the embrace. "I don't know," he confessed quietly. "I mean, I thought that I could handle this…" he trailed off with a heavy sigh.

Alicia adjusted her position so that Danny's wings lay as flat as they could go. She continued to stroke his hair, feeling the boy shudder when her nails scraped against imbricate scales.

Alicia adored Maddie's children, and always made certain to provide a listening ear for Jazz – the girl had been particularly distressed upon realising that she was now the only human member of her immediate family, but having her human aunt to speak with had greatly eased that burden.

Danny was a different matter entirely – in the week that he had been home, Alicia had barely clapped eyes on the boy; he was always busy, to the extent where the woman worried that he would one day burn out. A person as young as he was should not have to shoulder such a burden, and if she thought that he would listen at all, Alicia would have tried to talk some sense into her nephew.

It was all Jack's fault.

Although Alicia generally disagreed with her eldest sister on principle, she grudgingly admitted that Will did have a point when placing the blame for Danny's situation. Although the teen blamed himself, it was quite obvious that the people responsible were none other than Jack and Madeline. Alicia personally placed most of the blame on Jack's shoulders – indirectly, it was _his_ fault that Maddie had had her powers bound in the first place. Everything simply stemmed from that small fact.

The woman sighed, glancing down at her silent nephew. Danny had fallen asleep in Alicia's arms with his head resting on her shoulder, his icy breaths playing softly across the skin of her neck. With the arrival of slumber his illusions had melted away, revealing a face that was more scars than skin.

Alicia laid the boy gently beside her before placing the book on the bedside table. His core temperature mingling with her own human warmth reminded the woman of nights spent sneaking into Maddie's bed in the weeks before Alicia had been sent from the Ghost Zone to live with her own kind.

As gently as she could, the woman lay beside her nephew and pulled the covers over them.

She was still awake when he woke at five to beat up the box ghost.

...

Danny stayed home from school on Friday at his parents' insistence. A weekend of flying lessons, training, dealing with extended family, and struggling to complete homework was almost enough to drive any thoughts of school from the halfa's mind.

Almost.

...

Phantom was floating about a foot above the grass, legs crossed in a sitting position and eyes screwed shut in concentration. His glowing hands had been thrust into the air directly in front of him, and as the gelatinous green power wove between his gloved fingers the teen cracked open one eye.

The substance around his hands exploded, sending out a wave of heat and flame which scorched the boy's skin and seared his eyebrows.

Danny gave a frustrated cry, fisting stinging fingers in his hair and back flipping above the grass. He settled once again, blowing on steaming gloves and wiping soot out of his eyes.

"Are you trying to kill yourself or something?" asked a voice from behind him, and Danny fell to the ground with a startled yelp.

He picked himself up, flushing and dusting off his suit. "Are you stalking me or something?" he grouched, sending Star one of his best scowls.

The girl shook her head, flipping blonde hair over her shoulder and spreading her hands wide to gesture at the park around them. "I jog here every evening," she announced, "and you're floating right next to the joggers' track."

The halfa sighed. "I guess I am," he mumbled, dropping his gaze to the ground.

Star seated herself on the grass, tilting her head back and giving a satisfied sigh. "What are you doing, anyway?"

Danny frowned at the strange behaviour before shrugging and sitting next to her. "Trying to make a portal to the Ghost Zone," he muttered, "and failing miserably at it. But why aren't you throwing yourself all over me?" At her disgruntled look he held up his hands with an exclamation. "Not that I don't appreciate it, I was just curious since your group's all obsessed with _Phantom._ " When Danny said his ghost form's name, his voice gained a somewhat bitter edge.

Star rolled her eyes. "That was really Paulina's thing, you know? We sort of had to go along with it, and pretend to be totally in love with you as well." Danny snorted as she continued, "I think that she's really going to back off now that she knows who you are."

Danny felt like he had been stabbed in the gut, every old insecurity rushing back to overwhelm his mind. "What, so I'm a loser in both forms now?" he ground out.

The girl started, her eyes widening as she realised the implications of his words. "Oh, no, Danny – what I meant was that she knows that you really love Sam, and so she's going to give you some space. And you've made it pretty clear that you're not interested in adoring fans proclaiming their love for your… erm… ghost form."

Danny sighed. "I'd tell you to tell her thanks for me, but even that could make her a bit too…"

"Excited?" Star offered.

Danny grinned sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck as he nodded. "What I'm really curious about," he confessed, "is why you guys didn't have the whole search-and-rescue thing going on when my parents and I disappeared."

The girl flushed, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "Well, everyone just thought that your parents had dragged you off on another of their ghost hunting expeditions without telling anyone. Remember, you guys were gone for three months two years ago."

Danny chuckled, tilting his head back to watch as the first stars of the evening flickered into view. "Yeah, that makes sense," he breathed.

Before he could say anything else, Danny's core radiated a blast of cold, chilling the air in his lungs. Daggers of ice wrapped around his spine and whipped through his brain as a tendril of blue slipped through the teen's lips, and Danny sighed. "If it's Boxy again I'm going to suck him into the thermos and bury it," the halfa grumbled before flashing a smile in Star's direction. "It was good to see you, but I've gotta go."

The girl smiled back, raising her hand in a small wave. "See you later, Danny," she called, watching as his glowing figure sped into the darkening sky.

...

Danny slipped invisibly into the classroom after lunch, taking his seat and blowing a waft of icy air in the direction of his girlfriend. Sam scowled before poking him in the gut, earning a slight gasp from the teen as her finger jabbed the half-healed gash that spanned from his right armpit to his left hip, courtesy of Skulker.

As the bell rang and Lancer rapped his knuckles on the surface of the whiteboard to get the students' attention, Danny reluctantly allowed visibility to melt over his form. The room lapsed into silence and Danny glanced down at his shirt, grimacing when he realised that he looked like an absolute wreck, with a grisly mixture of red and green spotting his torn clothing.

Lancer cleared his throat. "Next time, please clean yourself up before you come to class, Mr Fenton." Danny mumbled in assent and the teacher continued, his tone softening, "Do you need to go and see the nurse?"

The halfa shook his head. "It's already healing, sir, and I bandaged it up as soon as the fight finished."

For a moment the educator looked like he wanted to say something, but instead closed his eyes and visibly swallowed. Turning towards his desk, Lancer marked the roll before launching into a lecture on death and redemption in _Hamlet_.

The class, for once, remained silent throughout the lesson, the students sending their half ghost peer sympathetic glances as blood and ectoplasm crept steadily across the fabric of his shirt.

Dinner at FentonWorks was never a quiet affair. The majority of the Fenton relatives – including Jazz and Jim – had left town earlier that day, but Jack's parents and Maddie's relatives remained. Danny was simply thankful that Grandma Fenton had kept her husband out of the kitchen – he really wasn't in the mood to battle a horde of undead food for the second time that day, since that morning several boxes of cornflakes had decided to take a stab at world domination thanks to Grandpa Fenton's modified milk.

Escaping the noise and heat of the brightly-lit dining room, Danny stepped out onto the back porch, leaning against the banister and coaxing a quivering Sebastian from his hoodie pocket. The dragonling perched on the banister with a delighted trill, fanning delicate wings. The halfa sighed, hauling his body over the railing and dropping soundlessly to the lawn, where he laid back to watch the stars appear in the inky sky. Sebastian launched himself into the air, flying wobbly circles around the perimeter of the backyard and trilling with delight.

Danny's ghost sense went off, but the teen simply smirked at the familiar ectosignature. He pointed his finger towards the sky and let loose a tiny green spark; it shot upwards, bursting into an emerald firework one hundred feet above the ground. Moments later a glowing blur sped through the fence, roughly colliding with the boy and knocking the wind out of him.

"Danny!" the girl shrieked, wrapping her arms tightly around her 'cousin'.

"Geroff, Danni!" he sputtered, phasing through her grip and glaring at her in the yellow light that filtered through the kitchen windows. "Turn human before someone sees you or the ghost trackers pick you up," Danny ordered, a grin creeping over his face.

Danielle pouted comically before grinning once again, washing the white rings over her slim body. Danny wrapped his arms around her, feeling the girl begin to shudder within his embrace. He pulled away from her, noting with surprise that tears had begun to stream down her face.

"What's wrong?" Danny cried, gripping his distressed clone by the shoulders.

Danni twisted the hem of her blue shirt between her fingers, keeping sapphire eyes on the rectangles of yellow light that the windows stencilled on the grass. "Val called me," she whispered, "right after you passed out at school."

"What?" Danny breathed, reaching out to grasp the girl's chin and force her to look at him. "What did she say?" He demanded when her eyes met his own.

Danielle broke the contact with a jerk, curling her knees into her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "She said that you got caught and hurt by the Guys in White, and that somehow the entire school figured out your secret because you fainted in class after a PTSD attack."

"It was only the class," Danny insisted.

Danielle shook her head. "Nah, apparently the whole school figured it out because some freshman had been hiding from his bullies in the lab's storeroom – apparently there's a little glass window in the door that he could see through – and he told everyone in his class what he saw."

The boy's stomach felt like it had dropped to the centre of the earth. _Crap._ "Are you sure?" he breathed.

"Yeah, but apparently nobody told the media because before lunch everyone was called into an assembly and told to shut up and leave you alone since it's your secret."

Danny closed his eyes, rubbing at throbbing temples. _Thank goodness._ "Danni-"

"Don't," the girl interrupted. "That's not my name."

"What?" Danny cried.

Danielle shrugged. "As awesome as you are, I'm not you, and I should stop trying to be. I'm my own person, so please call me Danielle, or Ella." She tilted her head. "Don't you think Ella fits me nicely?"

Danny nodded numbly and his guest sighed. "What _is_ that?" she murmured as Sebastian, exhausted from his flying practice, landed awkwardly on the top of Danny's head.

Danny squawked as small talons dug into his scalp, holding up his arm for Sebastian to clamber onto. "This is Sebastian," he said, transferring the dragonling to his shoulder. "He's my companion."

Danielle giggled. "You always seem to get into unique situations," she muttered, wiping at the tearstains on her cheeks.

"Yeah, well this one's a doozy," Danny announced, turning his wings and tail visible and tangible. "I'm stuck with these until my core matures."

The girl pressed a hand over her mouth in order to contain a shriek.

...

Grandma and Grandpa Fenton insisted that they would continue to stay at the town's motel for another week, as they felt that it was high time for the two of them to take a holiday. Once they had left for their accommodation, Maddie ventured outside in search of her son.

"Danny, you've been out here for three hours!" the woman called, sticking her head out the back door.

Two sets of sapphire eyes swung to face her, and Maddie felt her breathing hitch momentarily. For a moment she could have sworn that there were twins sitting before her…

Danny was on his feet and approaching his mother. "Mum, this is Danielle. She's… Erm, you see…" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "The Fruitloop cloned me, and Danielle was the only clone to survive. She's really cool, and-"

Maddie swept past her son, pulling the newcomer into an embrace. Ever since Jack's passing comment about a clone, she had waited for Danny to broach the topic and introduce her.

Danielle squawked in surprise but refrained from pulling away, returning the hug a moment later. Once they pulled apart Maddie slung her arms around the girl's shoulders. "We're a little stretched for space at the moment, but if you want you can stay here…"

The teen ducked her head. "I-I don't know how long I'd be staying," she spluttered.

The huntress tightened her arm around Danielle's shoulders. "Forever, if you want."

The girl's hysterical tears and professions of thanks lasted for the next hour and a half, highly amusing her new parents as they set up Jazmine's old room for her.

...

"We'll take you into the Ghost Zone tomorrow to sort everything out," Maddie announced over late hot chocolates. "You'll get a lair and a companion, and we'll adopt you officially."

Wilhelmina primly sipped her chocolate, grimaced, and stirred in two sugars. "Bekah's going to graduate from her apprenticeship in a couple of months. Ella, do you want to be my apprentice?"

Danielle choked on her drink. "Are you serious?" she demanded, grinning like a lunatic as the woman sculled her sweetened beverage.

Will smiled slightly, placing the cup in the sink. "Of course. Now that that's settled, I'm off to bed. Good night, everyone."

...

Danny moaned, pulling the blanket over his head as Tucker's alarm went off.

"Mornin', Dude," Tucker slurred, swinging his feet out of bed and trudging in the direction of the bathroom.

The halfa grumbled noncommittally, rolling over and peeking out from beneath the covers as Sebastian stretched with a whine. Danny reached out and scratched his companion's scales, the teen's eyes flying open and a gasp leaving his lips as several scales dislodged beneath his gentle touch.

Leaping out of bed, the boy threw on his clothes haphazardly and gathered the dragonling into his arms, leaping into the air and teleporting to Fentonworks. The action left him dizzy and disoriented, and Danny fell against the kitchen bench with a cry before sliding to the floor – he had never teleported more than five blocks before, and the distance from Tucker's house to Fentonworks was twelve.

"Danny!" Maddie shrieked, abandoning her coffee and throwing herself down beside her son. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

The teen took in a shaky breath before motioning to the dragon in his arms. "So-something's wrong wi-with Sebastian," he wheezed. "He l-lost a bunch of scales."

The woman stilled before turning her head away in a bid to hide her smirk.

"What?" Danny demanded, regaining control over his breathing. Maddie began to chuckle, her shoulders shaking slightly as Danny's irritation mounted. "What is it?" the boy cried.

Maddie laughed outright. "Sorry," she chortled, shaking her head slightly. "Nothing's wrong with him."

"But he just lost a bunch of scales!" Danny exclaimed.

Maddie's laughter quieted, and she stared at her son, lilac eyes sparkling with mirth. "He's just going through a growth spurt. It's like losing teeth – the little ones fall out to make way for bigger ones."

Danny blinked, staring down at his preening companion. "You're kidding, right?" the teen breathed.

Maddie shook her head and offered her son a hand up. Danny took it gratefully, his head continuing to spin. He sank into the nearest seat, silently accepting the hot chocolate that Alicia pressed into his hands. Sebastian immediately shoved his snout into the mug, slurping up half of the liquid before settling back into his companion's arms. Danny downed the rest of the beverage, feeling his limbs slowly stop shaking.

"Did you teleport here from Tucker's house?" Maddie asked as she re-seated herself, offering half a biscuit to Eliza as she dozed in the middle of the table.

Danny nodded, feeling heat seep through his cheeks. "Yeah, sorry about that."

The woman shook her head slightly, chuckling as the ferret nipped playfully at her fingers. "Good work, but be careful, okay? Don't try to teleport too far or you'll strain your core and end up with a really bad migraine."

Danny ducked his head. "I'll remember that," he muttered, moving to place his mug in the sink. Snagging an apple, the teen bid his aunt and mother goodbye before changing into Phantom and flying back in the direction of Tucker's house.

...

"Come on, Danny! It's just another school day," Sam coaxed.

Danny shook his head numbly, taking another step back from the bushes that lined the perimeter of Casper High. He knew that his behaviour was attracting attention, but the poor boy just couldn't face the idea of the entire student population knowing his secret.

"Come _on_ ," Tucker begged, reaching out to drag Danny by the sleeve. "You've sulked at my place instead of going to school for the past three days!" The halfa visibly flinched, phasing himself out of Tucker's grasp as Sebastian nipped at the geek's fingers. Danny stepped back once more, pressing a hand over his eyes and attempting to slow his breathing.

"What's wrong?" Valerie called, approaching the trio from behind. "Is Danny okay?"

Tucker shook his head slightly, sending the huntress a warning glance. Valerie got the message and nodded in response, backing away and continuing towards the school's front doors.

Sam reached out and grasped Danny's wrist, gently pulling his hand away from his face. "Come on, we've got English first," she soothed. "I'll be with you the whole time."

Shuddering, Danny pressed his lips tightly together and allowed her to pull him in the direction of the school's front steps.

...

He somehow managed to make it to class, sinking gratefully into his chair. Danny kept his eyes downcast, fisting his fingers in his lap as the students filtered into the room. Their chatter soothed him, a sense of normalcy rising from the classroom as Danny tilted his head back. His stomach rumbled, reminding the halfa of his meagre breakfast.

Danny closed his eyes and breathed deeply, sampling the emotions of his classmates. Ignoring the general anxiety and exhaustion that seeped through the room, Danny singled out a burst of joy that emanated from Mikey. With a grateful sigh, the halfa sucked contentedly on the emotion as one would a hardboiled lolly, the sweet tang of the positive emotion fizzing on his tongue and filling his belly with warmth.

His hunger satisfied, the teen turned his attention to the front of the room as Lancer swept through the door and rapped his knuckles against the whiteboard. "Quiet down!" he called to the assembled students.

Nathan raised his hand. "Sir, do you think that Danny could explain to us? I'm still a bit confused."

Danny swallowed, feeling his chest seize up. _Crap, I can't do this!_ He sent the teacher a pleading glance, but Lancer missed it. "Mr Fenton will speak to you when he's ready to," the teacher said quietly. "However, you all have homework to hand me. Leave Daniel alone until he broaches the subject himself."

The class lapsed into quiet murmuring as the teacher walked down the rows of desks, collecting the week's homework. Danny sank low in his seat, shaking his head slightly as Lancer passed him. The teacher sent him a sympathetic glance before moving on down the aisle, and Danny sighed.

His peers continued to shoot looks in his direction.

Danny flushed, his irritation mounting. As Lancer returned to the front of the classroom, Danny got to his feet. "Alright," the halfa groaned, "just stop _staring_ at me. I went inside my parents' portal back in freshman year, and it turned on while I was inside. My ghost powers were activated, and I came out as Phantom. End of story." He sat down once again, ducking his head.

The room was still. "But, what happened with the Guys-"

"Shut it, Nathan," Dash growled. "If he doesn't want to tell us then he doesn't have to." Danny sent the jock a grateful glance before focusing once again on his own shoelaces.

It was a blessing when his ghost sense went off, and Danny practically flew out of the room in pursuit of the Box Ghost.

...

Bright Eyes gulped, watching as Jack Fenton's father erected devices around the perimeter of the school. The fool would never catch a ghost that way, but perhaps the idiot's bumbling attempt would provide the perfect opportunity to implement their plan.

He turned towards the back of the van, keeping his eyes respectfully downcast beneath their dark shades. "Sir, what would you have us do?"

The figure shifted, shadows moving to follow its form. Yellow eyes burned with rage and hunger. "We move when the fool does," it hissed, voice rasping and breath smelling of rotten flesh.

Bright Eyes inclined his head respectfully before turning to his phone and calling his second-in-command. "We move when the fool does," he intoned as soon as they answered before brusquely hanging up.

...

Jack and Maddie led their daughter up the steps of Casper High, heading straight for reception. She fought to contain her excitement, bouncing on the balls of her feet as the receptionist glanced at the trio over the rims of sensible square-framed glasses. "Another ghost crisis?" the woman intoned, her finger hovering over the intercom.

Maddie shook her head. "No, we're here to enrol our youngest daughter."

The woman frowned, tilting her head forwards in order to inspect Danielle over the rim of her spectacles. She raised an eyebrow before turning her attention to Maddie. "Principal Ishiyama is free for the next half an hour. You may proceed to her office."

"Thank you," Maddie murmured, towing her husband and daughter in the direction of the polished door.

...

Grandpa Fenton had been tracking a ghost for the past week, but whenever he followed the tracker, its ectosignature disappeared before he could reach the designated spot. All he had to go by was a flash of white hair and a sleek black costume as the spectre fled the scene of yet another battle, taking the enemy ghost with it in what looked to be a Fenton Thermos.

On Tuesday morning, as the students began to file into the school building, the man lurked in the bushes – Phantom's ectosignature always disappeared in this _exact_ building after ghost fights during school hours.

His Fenton Tracker began to vibrate, and Grandpa Fenton glanced at the small device strapped to his wrist, grinning when he realised that the ghost was approaching the school right on time.

Waiting until the spectre's signal had returned to the building, the hunter depressed a button on his remote. Strategically-placed weapons whined, covering every available surface both inside and outside the school in a frothing, mint-green foam designed to cancel out the powers of any ghost.

Leaping to his feet, Grandpa Fenton let out a whoop, punching the air. Abandoning his victory dance, the man gulped, taking a step back and falling on his rump; a shadow had risen above the building, yellow eyes gleaming wickedly.

...

Danny sighed, slipping into his seat and sending Sam a relieved grin before mouthing _Beware_. The girl smirked and moved to return Sebastian to him, but Danny groaned as his ghost sense chilled his lungs once again. Rolling his eyes, the teen teleported to the airspace above the school, hovering invisibly as he pinpointed the ghost.

After a moment he sped towards the park, launching an ecto-bomb into Klemper's gut and sucking the irritating ghost into the thermos. The process took less than thirty seconds, but by the time Danny turned around the school was covered in green foam. With a sigh, he breathed out a lungful of freezing tendrils. "Honestly, can't I catch a break?" he muttered, flying in the direction of the building.

Sebastian flew to meet him, covered in green and shrieking shrilly. Danny reached out and caught the dragonling in his gloved hands, feeling the foam slick and cold against the waterproof fabric.

A shadow rose above the school, and Danny gulped as a chilling voice snaked through the air. "Come out and play, little Phantom! Come save your dear friends!"

"Danny, no!" shrieked a voice from behind him, and Kailani threw her arms around the bewildered teen's shoulders. The halfa yelped, falling briefly before pouring strength into his powers and hovering in mid-air once again. Kailani kept her arms around him, trembling slightly. "Don't fight it, it's obviously a trap."

Danny phased through her grasp, leaving the girl to rely upon her own wings once again. "I can't let him hurt anyone!" he cried, speeding in the direction of the school.

"Idiot," Kai hissed. "Kellie's got me babysitting an imbecile…" Taking a breath, she sped off after the determined hero. Before she had travelled ten metres, a net folded over her form, pinning sleek wings against her back.

A ghost swathed in shadows, identical to Daniel's opponent par those glowing crimson eyes, caught her before she could so much as scream.

...

"Oi!" Danny shouted, sending an ectoblast slamming into the shadowed figure. "Leave my friends alone!"

His ghost sense went off once again as ghosts and men in white suits materialised throughout the space below, entering the school with nets and guns in hand. The figure turned to face the irate ghost child, smirking. "Well, well, well," it sneered, "looks like the little halfa came out to play." With a smirk, the creature sent a blast in the direction of the spectators on the ground.

Danny paled, teleporting into the path of the blast. It collided with his stomach, sending pain lancing through his abdomen. The halfa dropped like a stone, landing on top of Lance Thunder's camera crew.

Gasping out an apology, Danny attended to the screeching dragonling in his arms, perching Sebastian on his shoulder. Small amounts of the foam flecked onto his cheeks, and Danny hissed at the burning sensation before launching himself into the air once again. "That was a low move!" he shouted at his opponent, launching a blast in its direction. The burning began to increase, travelling outwards from the specks of foam on his skin and congregating somewhere around his waist. "Now what do you want with me?"

The spectre tilted its head, chuckling as Danny felt a wrench deep in his gut. He gasped, doubling over and clutching at the spot as the foam continued to burn his face. The figure chuckled deeply before sending a ray blasting into the teen's unprotected side. The halfa once again dropped from the sky, this time landing on the foam-covered steps of the school. The stuff was suddenly all over his body, reaching his skin through his hair and sliding down the collar of his suit.

Danny arched his back and shrieked, tearing with slick fingers at the cool foam that had covered his form. The burning tore through his entire body, gathering in his gut. Danny screamed, writhing as a ring of light snapped into place around his waist.

"N-no, s-st-stop," he gasped as it split into two, slowly beginning to wash over his glowing body. "Wait… St… Argh!" Screwing his eyes shut, the halfa gave a cry of pain as his breathing paused and heart faltered, indicating that he had reverted to human form.

As the boy struggled to get to his feet the school's doors were thrown open, and what seemed to be an army of white-suited men and shadowed figures hauled struggling students out of the building in glowing nets. Danny pressed a hand to his swimming head before throwing himself at the nearest man. Rolling his eyes, Bright Eyes kicked the child in the side before depositing the netted, struggling form of Maddie Fenton on the ground.

Danny fell back with a cry, clutching at his freshly-cracked ribs. As he fought to his feet once again the yellow-eyed spectre from above sent a sizzling net down upon the teen's head. The blood drained from Danny's face and he collapsed with a scream, tearing at the knotted ropes as electricity sizzled through his slender frame.

...

As his grandson screamed in utter agony, Grandpa Fenton realised that he had made a massive mistake by covering the school in ecto-nullifying foam. The man leaped to his feet, racing to the terrified child's side as electricity lit up the fibres of the net. Sinking to his knees, he ignored the men dragging netted children into vans – his only priority now was to save his grandson's life.

Danny's screaming had stopped, and Grandpa Fenton turned back towards the boy to see the halfa's mouth open in a vain effort to suck in air, his body contorted as electricity continued to pour into his system. Wide blue eyes began to dim, their lids creeping shut as the teen fell limp.

Grandpa Fenton had cut the net open in a second with his Fenton Machete, tearing the sizzling strands away from his grandson and the tiny white reptile. As soon as the final fibre left his skin, the boy took in a choking breath.

"Thank goodness," the man breathed, gathering the unconscious child and keening dragon into his arms. He turned to face the school, realising with a start that the teachers, along with Maddie and Jack, were lying on the ground wrapped in normal, everyday nets. He swung to face the road, noting that the vans were gone and the cameramen lay imprisoned in a similar manner, their cameras still broadcasting live with their lenses fixed on the foam-covered school steps.


	22. SNAFU

Danny cried out as his head cracked against flagstones. Blue eyes flew open and the teen leaped to his feet, sending Death his darkest glare. "Did you _have_ to drag me here?" Danny grouched.

Death motioned to an armchair – one of two facing each other over an elegant coffee table – and Danny reluctantly took a seat. Death seated his shadow-swathed form in the other, and lifted a delicate teapot from the table, pouring two teacups. Danny seethed as the creature added exactly the right amount of sugar and milk, silently accepting the cup when it was offered to him. The tea was hot, sweet, and warmed the halfa's freezing belly. Danny drank in silence, his eyes never leaving the cloth of shadows that clothed his host.

Danny sighed once Death set down his cup. "I died again, yeah?" the boy grumbled.

Death inclined his head. "That you did, my boy."

The halfa bunched his hands into fists. "Why did the creep who killed me look like it was wearing the same cloak as you?" he cried.

Death chuckled, and Danny shrank back in his seat despite himself. The creature stopped at the halfa's reaction, his voice softening. "Danny, I'm not going to hurt you."

"That laugh was creepy!" the teen spluttered before regaining some of his previous composure. "And you didn't answer my question."

Death shrugged. "They're just a bunch of idiots trying to look creepy. They absorb all the light surrounding their bodies, much like you absorb emotions, and are thus surrounded by an absence of light, comparable to a vacuum. In comparison, my garments _are_ woven shadow."

The teen scrunched his nose. "So I died, came here, drank the bloody tea… Can I go home now?"

Death shook his head. "Today we have a change of routine."

Danny was on his feet in an instant. "I have to go back!" he shrieked, taking a step towards his host. "Please, I have to save everyone!"

Death rolled his eyes beneath his cowl. "Honestly, don't be so dramatic. I'll send you back, but there's something I have to offer you first."

The halfa scowled. "Why? What would be so important that you have to keep me here?"

The Grim Reaper sighed before kneeling on the floor. "Daniel, I offer you an apprenticeship."

Danny's eyes widened. " _What?_ " he shrieked. "Why on Earth would you want _me_ to be your apprentice, and what the heck would you want to teach me?"

Death did not move. "You will become an apprentice Grim Reaper, and shall only have to work for me for a short time every week, at your own convenience."

Danny frowned, beginning to pace the small room. _If I accept, it could help me to save the people I care about…_ "Will I be able to stop the deaths of my friends and family?" he asked.

Death gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head. "You will guide souls from your reality and onto the next. You will also escort newly-formed ghosts into the Ghost Zone."

The halfa sighed. _I guess that it's still a form of protecting those that I care about,_ he mused. "How will this affect… you know…?" He touched the crown hanging around his throat with the tip of a finger.

"It won't, but the Observants aren't going to be impressed."

Danny grinned outright at this revelation. "Alright then, I'll be your apprentice." He bowed to the kneeling figure, and Death got to his feet.

Stepping forwards, Grim extended a slender finger and touched it to the youth's brow. Danny flinched, finding that he was bound in place by that simple contact. Death retracted his finger, eyeing the frozen teen from beneath his cowl. With a heavy sigh, the creature threw back his hood, allowing Danny to see his face for the first time.

The Grim Reaper attempted a wan smile at the shock in Danny's eyes. "That bad, hm?"

The halfa sent out a wave of emotion, expressing his surprise at Death's appearance. Grim chuckled slightly, tilting his head to one side. His skin was porcelain white and his messy, overlong hair completely colourless, bringing to mind falling rain. The creature looked to be in his early twenties, but for those ancient emerald eyes. Those eyes held the weight of untold centuries, of billions of spent souls crying for rest. Yet they held such warmth and _life_ that, for the first time, Danny trusted him completely.

Death fixed his eyes on Danny's, stepping forwards and pressing his hands against the boy's chest. Danny felt all strength seep from his limbs and Death's shadowed mantle extended, tendrils forming a supportive frame that held his body in place. A terrifying numbness stole through the halfa's limbs, and if Danny were able to scream, he would have. As it were, the ghost child was forced to watch helplessly as Death wove shadows around his form. Once Danny was clothed entirely in writhing darkness, Grim leaned forwards, placing his mouth a breath away from the boy's. He exhaled deeply, breathing out a stream of shadow that latched onto Phantom's pale lips and slipped through them, disappearing from sight.

This time Danny did scream, the paralysis leeching from his body as darkness spread through his veins. The teen collapsed with a cry, his limbs tensing as he arched his back with a pained gasp. The shadows writhed around him, and tears streamed down Danny's cheeks as his skin became several shades lighter, the colour dripping from his hair and skin in streams of vapour that dissipated into the air.

" _Grim!_ " he shrieked, curling in on himself as dark, unfamiliar power began to crackle through his core – the power of a reaper.

After several seconds in which Danny shuddered and gasped for air, the Grim Reaper knelt beside his young charge. "Daniel, are you alright?"

Danny raised his tear-streaked face. "I-I… Urgh, I feel like I…" Groaning, he pressed a hand over his mouth.

Grim understood, gently hoisting the teen into his arms and depositing him into an armchair. He poured Danny another mug of tea, pressing it against the boy's colourless lips. Danny swallowed, finding that the warm liquid settled his roiling stomach.

"Whoa," Danny breathed, leaning back in his seat, "that was really something."

The Grim Reaper chuckled, placing the antique teacup gently back onto its matching saucer. "Before I return you to your body, you require a scythe."

The halfa raised an eyebrow, sending his new mentor a disbelieving look from beneath his cowl. "Are you actually serious?" he demanded. As the creature before him remained silent, Danny felt a grin pass over his own features. "You're giving _me_ a scythe?"

Death shook his head. "No, you are going to make one yourself."

Danny frowned. "Dude, I don't know how."

Grim chuckled again, lifting from its place on the table a glittering silver glove. Slipping it on, the creature reached forwards and plunged his hand into Danny's chest.

The teen choked, reaching up to grasp the silver-clad forearm of his new mentor. Death forced himself to ignore Danny's grasping fingers, hurrying to his task as the halfa's grip slackened, light beginning to seep from emerald eyes.

Sweeping the glove through the boy's body, Death finally found what he was searching for – a tiny strand which he curled his fingers tightly around. Pulling with all his might, the Grim Reaper withdrew from Danny's chest, slowly drawing out a fine thread of silver light. Danny gave a wordless cry, his fingers moving to grasp the thread. As he did so, it formed a moulded handle of polished wood, one end still embedded within the teen's body.

Danny gave a choked cry, fighting to breathe as he used both hands to draw the item out of his chest. The handle was plain wood, dark and glossy. Its base was shod with gleaming silver metal, engraved with a pattern of twisting vines and flames. Death stepped away, giving Danny room to draw the weapon from his own body. With a grunt, the teen removed the remainder of the weapon from his chest, revealing the scythe's wickedly curved blade; the flat of the blade was engraved in the same manner as the metal with which the snath was shod. The entire weapon was elegant and deadly, and Danny found himself staring in awe.

"Wow," he breathed, reaching out to touch the blade. "Grim, this is _beautiful_."

Death smiled. "That it is. Now, I assume that you wish to return-"

"Oh _crap!_ " Danny exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "I have to go back! I've never been gone from my body for this long before!"

"Shhh," Death soothed, moving to place a hand on his charge's shoulder. "Clocky agreed to stop time in your realm. You have only been dead for about ten seconds."

Danny gave a sigh of relief before pulling the cowl back so that Death could see his face. " _Clocky?_ "

The Grim Reaper laughed outright at that. "I think that it's time for you to return home," he chuckled, "but first I need to tell you a couple of things about your new power…"

...

Maddie paced the waiting room, feeling like she was going to fall apart. They were in a _human hospital_ , for goodness' sake! She glanced at her bandaged hands, momentarily re-living the sensation of slick green foam covering her body, eating into the skin like acid.

Shaking her head, the woman could only be relieved that she had been in human form – her burns were superficial, and required little attention. However, the damage done to Danny...

Maddie turned on her heel and continued pacing, ignoring the subdued form of her husband squeezed into one of the plastic grey chairs that lined the room, and Wilhelmina sitting primly next to him. What really scared her, more than anything else, was the data that her father-in-law had already gathered – the foam that he had loaded the guns with was a much darker shade of green than what had covered the school. After a quick analysis, it had been concluded that the Fenton Ecto-Nullifying Foam – foam which painlessly bound a ghost's powers for the space of fifteen minutes – had been replaced with a concoction that attacked any traces of active ectoplasm, and directly attacked a ghost's core, rendering it powerless indefinitely.

Danny's screams still echoed within her head, and Maddie felt her throat tighten. The _burns_ caused by that net… She could still smell the burning flesh, and as soon as she had clapped eyes upon the deep furrows branded into his body, Maddie had called an ambulance for her son.

The doctors had been rather courteous, considering the fact that they had never treated a being such as Danny before. After their questions had been answered, the medical staff ushered Danny's family into a private waiting room so that their own injuries could be treated.

And then came the matter of the stolen children. Maddie was trying to ignore the thoughts that wormed their way into her brain, but every few seconds an image of Danielle's smiling face flashed through her mind. Granted, she had only known the child for a handful of days, but the huntress was already hopelessly devoted to her new daughter.

Maddie continued to pace, trying to keep herself from falling apart. All she wanted was to see her children…

...

Danny had had enough of unconsciousness. I couldn't be good for a guy to get knocked out as often as he was – he had just spent several weeks in a coma, for goodness' sake! The teen was less than impressed when he opened his eyes to find himself lying in a hospital bed, and it took every smidgen of his self-control not to rip the needle out of his forearm. He sat up slowly, feeling like he had been branded by a whip of fire for the third time that year. After a heartbeat everything came rushing back, and the halfa groaned in exasperation, fisting bandaged fingers in raven locks.

He regretted the movement instantly, his tender scalp stinging at the contact. With a hiss, Danny pulled his hands away from his hair, searching within himself for his healing powers. The halfa gave a pained cry as his core refused to obey his mental command, instead condensing into a hard column within his body. _What?!_

In his panic, Amity Park's infamous ghost boy did something incredibly stupid.

...

Danny's screams alerted his waiting family, and Maddie burst through the waiting room doors without wasting a second. She raced down the hallway and literally tumbled through his open doorway, crouching beside her son's bed as he wrapped frail, bandaged arms around his torso and gasped for air. "Danny!" she cried.

The teen locked eyes with her, and Maddie almost recoiled at the torment that burned in his gaze. "I can't go ghost," he choked, beginning to rock backwards and forwards.

"Shh," the woman soothed, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling her boy into a gentle embrace. Danny melted into her arms, his tail wrapping around her waist as he buried his face in her shoulder.

At that moment, Dr Argon decided to intervene. "Mrs Fenton?" the dark-haired man murmured.

Maddie sent him a scathing glare. "You simply stood by and allowed my son to suffer!" she shrieked, extricating herself from Danny's grasp and rounding on the man in light blue scrubs.

The doctor held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Of course not!" he exclaimed. "Daniel abruptly woke up, sat up, and started screaming before the nurses or I could do anything!"

Maddie glared at him before returning to her son's side, wrapping her arms around her child as Jack and Will entered the room. Danny wriggled free of his mother's grasp.

"When can I go home?" the teen demanded.

Dr Argon sighed, twisting the hem of his scrubs around his fingers. "Not until you're healed."

Wilhelmina stepped forwards, pressing a glowing hand against her nephew's forehead. Danny visibly relaxed, sighing as the visible burns faded to new, pink scars. Wilhelmina phased the bandages off him as the doctor stepped forwards, revealing that the furrows made in the shape of the net had healed to a latticework of silver scars across his skin. Danny smirked as the doctor made a noise of protest, swinging his feet out of bed. "Where's Sebastian?" the teen demanded as his feet hit the floor.

"He's with Kellie," Maddie reassured her son, offering him a supportive arm.

Danny tugged the intravenous needle from his wrist with relief, sweeping out of the room without another glance in the doctor's direction.

...

FentonWorks was surrounded by reporters. Danny shrank back into his seat as the RV rounded the corner, visibly flinching when the cameras swung around to face the approaching vehicle. Will sent the teen a sympathetic look, placing a hand against her seat and turning the vehicle invisible. "I'm going to turn the RV intangible, so drive down to the lab," she ordered.

Maddie nodded, driving straight through the flabbergasted news crews and down into the lab. Parking neatly next to the Speeder, the huntress turned towards her family. "Nobody leaves the house," she cautioned.

Danny opened his mouth to protest, but closed it wordlessly upon receiving glares from both of his parents. Ducking his head, the teen clambered out of the vehicle and trudged up the stairs to the kitchen. He made a beeline for the fridge, procuring a quarter of an apple pie and a half-empty bottle of lemonade. Giving his father a look that _dared_ him to protest, Danny retreated to the living room with the full intention of nursing his bruised ego under the pretence of watching television.

...

Grandpa Fenton was seated on the couch, watching credits that the halfa recognised from _Iron Man_. The teen rolled his eyes as the credits faded into commercials, recalling the man's love for superhero movies. _Typical_. Danny hesitated momentarily before sitting in the armchair, feigning interest in the commercials. He watched the older man out of the corner of his eye, hunching sore shoulders in discomfort as Grandpa Fenton openly stared at the twitching tip of his tail.

Feeling his cheeks heat, Danny cleared his throat and met his grandfather's clear grey eyes. "I-I…" Swallowing visibly, the halfa felt panic roil in his gut. Struggling to find something to say, Danny leaned forwards, offering the plastic bottle to the man. "Do you want some lemonade?"

Grandpa Fenton's expression visibly softened, and he took a swig from the bottle before patting the cushion beside him. "Come here, Danny-boy."

The teen complied, moving to sit next to his grandfather. The man placed an arm gently around his grandson's shoulders, and Danny looped his tail loosely around the hunter's ankle. Taking a deep breath, Grandpa Fenton fixed his eyes on the television without actually paying attention to the newsreader. Danny stiffened, and the man glanced at his grandson's horrified expression before turning back to the TV. The newsreader was presenting a story detailing the events of that morning, managing to mention Phantom's true identity as frequently as possible and giving little information that actually clarified the situation. All that was clear from her report was that Fenton and Phantom were the same person, and that shadows had come to life and devoured the students of Casper High.

Grandpa Fenton rolled his eyes, tightening his arm around Danny's shoulders and thumbing the remote. The TV switched off, deepening the shadows lining the dimly-lit room. Danny shuddered before taking a bite of his pie, pointedly ignoring his companion's worried expression.

"Danny…" Grandpa Fenton began. Biting his lip, the man shifted, pulling the teen into a crushing embrace. Danny tensed before relaxing, his tail coiling firmly around his grandfather's waist. "I'm so sorry," the man breathed, stroking his grandson's ebony hair.

Danny shook his head. "It's not your fault, Grandpa," he sighed, wrapping wiry arms around the man. "Those guys replaced your foam with theirs."

"It's still my fault," the older man insisted.

Danny pulled away. "No, it's not," he reiterated. "Nobody blames you, so stop blaming yourself."

After a moment of silence, the hunter inclined his head and got to his feet. "I think I'll get myself a cup of tea," he announced, heading for the kitchen. Upon reaching the doorway, he paused. "By the way, you'll always be my favourite superhero." Before Danny could respond, he disappeared into the kitchen.

...

Sam swore under her breath, wriggling numb fingers in an attempt to reach her pocket. The net was wrapped cruelly tight around her limbs, but if she could _just_ reach her Fenton Pocketknife then she could free herself and rescue the others. The van went over a bump, jolting the live cargo and causing Sam to roll across the floor. She ended up on her back, hands trapped uselessly beneath her body. Giving a frustrated groan, the girl once again began to wriggle onto her side in the darkness.

The van's momentum ceased, and Sam flinched as the back doors were thrown open, allowing light to stream onto her face. _We can't be more than a couple of hours out of Amity Park,_ she reasoned as she squinted in the midday sun.

Her peers began to wail and cry, and the Goth turned her face away as Paulina let out a shrill scream. The white-coated men remained stoic, each agent hauling a netted teen out of the van and dumping them in the mud. Paulina screamed again, and Sam gritted her teeth at the awful sound, vainly attempting to move her hands.

Once all of the students were lying in the mud, the vans drove away down an unsealed road, and Sam caught a glimpse of a squat building surrounded by thick brambles. The girl yelped as her net was hauled into the air and thrown over the shoulder of a burly agent, and with mounting dread she realised just what organisation he worked for. _But I thought that the Guys in White were disbanded!_

_Danny's going to be so pissed…_

...

Danny sat at his desk, gently scratching Sebastian and depositing the moulted scales in a jar. The dragonling crooned at the attention from his companion, and the halfa found himself smiling as the tiny creature wriggled and flexed its wings. _Do I_ really _act like that when someone scratches my scales?_ he mused, allowing Sebastian to nip at his fingers playfully. Lost in thought, the ghost boy allowed his companion to gnaw gently on his fingertips, and the creature took the opportunity to coil around Danny's hand and wrist tightly.

Danny stared at his current predicament. "I can't even phase out," he grumbled, gently extricating his hand and perching Sebastian on his shoulder. Lurching to his feet, the teen padded down the hallway and silently descended the stairs, pausing several steps from the bottom when he heard his mother's voice.

"…not the end, Jack."

"I know," his father's voice rumbled.

"Those Guys in White aren't just going to stop at taking a bunch of teenagers," Maddie continued. "They'll come back. You know they will – and when they do, they'll most likely target even younger children."

"We can't let that happen," Jack agreed.

The huntress sighed. "If we put a barrier over every town, we can isolate them until we find out where they are. I'm also going to lock the portal."

There was the scraping of chairs, and Danny felt his heart freeze as the meaning of his parents' words registered in his stunned brain. "The barrier should be ready in about three hours," Jack announced, and Danny began to retreat up the stairs as silently as he had descended.

"Danny's going to hate us for trapping him in Amity Park," the woman sighed.

Danny frowned, retreating to the top of the staircase before stomping down the steps as loudly as he could. He entered the kitchen in time to see his father's bulk disappear down the steps to the lab.

Maddie sighed, turning to the stove. "Are you hungry, Danny?"

The teen nodded. "Starving," he admitted, sliding into a chair and depositing Sebastian onto the table. Feeling a nip at his ankle, the halfa looked down and grinned at the sight of Eliza playing with the hem of his jeans. "Hey, you," he murmured, lifting the squirming ferret into his lap and snagging a small piece of fudge from the platter that currently resided in the middle of the table. Eliza nibbled the chunk delicately when he offered it to her, and once her treat was finished, the glowing ferret leaped back onto the floor and raced down the stairs into the lab.

Maddie placed a bowl of steaming pumpkin soup in front of her son, sending him an apprehensive look. Danny rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, Mum. And this smells great!"

"Are you really fine?" the woman asked, seating herself across from her son and breaking up a piece of bread, dipping it into Danny's soup and offering the chunks to Sebastian.

Danny sighed. "I'm a bit peeved that those guys not only had the nerve to kidnap everyone, but to bind our powers," he confessed, beginning to shovel food into his mouth.

Maddie placed a gentle hand over his. "Everything's going to be alright," she reassured him.

"I know," the teen muttered, lifting the bowl to his mouth and swallowing the remainder of his meal.

After scolding her son for his atrocious table manners, Maddie followed her husband's footsteps, descending the staircase into the lab. She shut the door behind her, and as soon as Danny heard the lock click he was on his feet.

Placing Sebastian on his shoulder in an absentminded motion, Danny moved upstairs, snatching a piece of paper from his desk.

_If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, I apologise. I guess protection really is my obsession. If I don't come home, please take care of Sebastian for me – he'll be in my lair._

_Love, Danny._

Sighing, the teen snuck up to the Ops Centre, leaving the note on the futon that his parents currently shared. He knew that by the time they found it, he'd be long gone and the barrier would prevent anyone from dragging him back home.

Returning to his room, Danny pulled on shoes and tucked his phone into his pocket. Thus equipped, he slipped back down to the kitchen and fished for the thermos kept in the odds and ends drawer. His fingers brushed against smooth metal and the halfa made a satisfied sound, depressing the release button.

"BEWARE!"

Ducking beneath the table before the box ghost could see him, Danny watched with amusement as the spectre headed for the boxes of magazines that were stacked in the corner of the living room. The ghost alarms began to wail, and Danny pulled the tablecloth down slightly in order to hide his crouched from as his parents ascended the lab steps, pointing whirring ectoguns at the glowing menace.

Grinning, the teen bolted for the lab while his parents were thus occupied. Descending swiftly, he tiptoed across the empty room and leaped through the open portal, snapping his wings open to hover in the otherworldly environment.

...

Kailani pressed herself back against the white wall, growling slightly as a white-coated scientist frowned at her over his spectacles. "If you don't cooperate, I'm certain that I know of another facility you could be sent to," he sneered.

The teen's heart faltered in her chest. _He's not serious…_

"Come on now, Dear. I'm not going to chop you up and force you to be a lab rat like the scientists you grew up with." He reached towards her, and although Kai was afraid of him, and although she didn't trust him one whit, she was far more terrified of the slightest notion of returning to _that place_.

Shaking slightly, Kailani got to her feet and allowed the white-coated man to lead her out of the cell and down a corridor, entering a large room filled with Danny's peers.

...

Danny threw open the door to his lair and flopped onto the floor with a gasp, his chest, back, and abdominal muscles burning. Sebastian leaped from his shoulder with an indignant squawk, hovering momentarily before landing unceremoniously on his companion's head. Danny groaned and sat up slowly, flexing his aching wings and realising that flying for three hours straight as fast as he could had probably been a bad idea. Giving the empty space before him a cursory glance, the teen sighed, moving Sebastian to perch on his forearm.

"Hey, are you going to stay here?" Danny asked his tiny companion, rubbing absentmindedly at the headache lodged in his right temple.

Sebastian nipped at Danny's nose before wrapping his tail around the teen's wrist. Danny sighed heavily, slumping against the doorframe. With a frustrated groan, Danny returned Sebastian to his shoulder and wearily got to his feet.

Flying across his clan's domain, Danny landed gracelessly in front of the training building. He slipped through the doors, tiptoeing down corridors and peeking through the windows which overlooked training rooms. Several people passed the teen as he searched, each of them bowing deeply before hurrying on their way, eyes downcast. Danny hated it, and found that his foul mood worsened with every incident.

Finally reaching the training room he had been searching for Danny slipped inside, breathing a sigh of relief as he leaned his back against the closed door. Bekah spun in mid-air, opening her mouth with a quizzical expression as the golden glow around her fists dissipated. Danny held up his hand. "If you bow to me, I'm going to throttle you," he warned.

"Awww, bad bay?" the girl teased, reverting to human form and landing squarely on her feet.

"You could say that," Danny grumbled, sweeping his eyes over the empty training room.

Bekah tilted her head to one side. "You look like crap. What happened?"

Shaking his head, Danny slid down the door to sit on the smooth metal floor. Bekah frowned, wordlessly seating herself beside the boy. Swallowing, the hero rubbed at his eyes with closed fists. "The Guys in White are still at large," he sighed. "They came and took my classmates. I-I… My powers are…" Gesturing helplessly, Danny slashed his tail through the air in frustration.

Bekah placed a hand on his shoulder. "As a clan, we can only save other halfas or ghosts. You _know_ that."

The teen felt his throat tighten with tears. "I'm not asking as a member of the Thalassic Clan. I'm asking as a friend."

Rebekah squeezed his shoulder. "Well, as a friend, I'll see what I can do."

...

"Jack, could you please go and get Danny for dinner?" Maddie called over her shoulder.

The hunter glanced up from his scribbled notes. "Where is he?"

"He's been sulking in his room all day," the woman sighed, spooning soup into a bowl.

Jack frowned, hauling his bulk out of the chair. Ambling up the stairs, he narrowly avoided stepping on Eliza as she frolicked around his moving feet. It would be hard for Danny to be powerless, Jack realised. The boy used his spectral abilities for most things, and it was likely that he had forgotten what it was like to be human.

Reaching his son's door, Jack rapped on the wood with his knuckles. "Danny-boy?" he called.

Upon receiving no answer, Jack entered the room, furrowing his brow when he found it unoccupied. Stepping across the hallway, he stuck his head through the bathroom doorway. Panic began to flutter in his gut as the hunter realised that Danny wasn't there either.

"Danny, it's time for dinner!" Jack shouted at a louder volume than necessary, feeling cold dread seep into his bones at the silence that followed this announcement.

He descended to the kitchen as quickly as his bulk would allow in the narrow stairway. "Mads, he's not here!"

Maddie frowned. "Well, he can't have gone far. The barrier's been up for a good four hours now." She tapped her foot on the linoleum for a moment. "Maybe he went flying."

Jack grasped that suggestion like a lifeline. "Yeah, that's where he is!" he exclaimed, fumbling for the phone. "I'll call him!"

Maddie sidled around her husband, inching open the odds and ends drawer. Fishing in its depths, her fingers closed around the smooth metal surface of the Boo-merang. As Jack dialled Danny's mobile number, the huntress flicked the item into the air, watching as the green lights lit up along its length. _Please don't go to the portal, please don't go to the portal…_ Her heart sank as the item swung around, slicing through the air and disappearing down the lab stairs. _Crap._

"He's not answering," Jack groaned.

...

Sam bit back a cry as she was tied to her chair. Paulina was still shrieking her head off, demanding to see the supervisor and complaining that their bonds were too tight. She still somehow managed to complain about her hair and insult the agents' mothers, interspersing swear words through her dialogue. It was an impressive display.

Sam ground her teeth together. _For goodness' sake,_ _ **shut up!**_ She fought back the urge to snap at the girl, instead turning her head to other way to look for Tucker. Instead, she found that the person strapped into the seat beside her sported ruffled black feathers and a furious expression.

"Does that cow ever _shut up_?" Kailani hissed.

Sam shook her head as far as the restraints would allow. "Never. But just wait, soon she'll quit shrieking in favour of fawning as she remembers that her eternal love _Danny Phantom_ will come to sweep her off into the sunset, leaving losers such as us to rot in the sewers."

The winged girl grimaced, wriggling against her bonds. Sam sighed. "Stop it, you're not going to get out like that."

Kai glared at her. "I've done it before," she hissed through clenched teeth before redoubling her efforts.

The Goth froze, her violet eyes snapping to stare at Kailani's wings. It was obvious, now that she thought about it. Feeling her gut clench, Sam decided to keep her mouth shut – she didn't particularly want to piss off the winged girl who currently radiated murderous intent.

Sam leaned forwards as far as her bonds would allow, glimpsing Valerie. The huntress had a large bruise forming across her cheek where an agent had struck her, and all of the Red Huntress' equipment has been confiscated. Valerie was no doubt as furious as Kailani, and deep green eyes glittered as the young woman wrenched against her own bonds.

Sam swung her head around, finding to her dismay that the only students on her other side were a wailing Paulina and the A-listers, with Danielle and the girls from younger year levels awkwardly sandwiched between them. _Where are all the guys?_ Sam strained in an effort to reach her pocket, but her bonds held fast. Slumping in her seat, the Goth sighed quietly. Just as she had resigned herself to a long, uncomfortable wait with nothing but Paulina's incessant whining, Sam stiffened. A sound tore through the air, and the girl recognised it all too well – somewhere nearby, Tucker was screaming.

...

Vlad sat motionless on his plain cot, head hanging and eyes burning. His hands were clasped tightly in his lap, the veins in his wrists standing out as the disgraced halfa seethed. He refrained from tearing the scratchy sheets and ill-fitting clothing apart as his 'partners in crime' had done, if only because he would be made to clean up his own mess and sew every scrap of fabric back together by hand.

He itched. The prison-issued uniform, in its yellow and orange stripes, chafed Vlad's sensitive skin and made him fidget like a beetle on a hotplate. The sheets on the bed were no better, with brittle edges that had been lined with a thin layer of glue to prevent fraying. The material itself was scratchy and uniform grey, matching the concrete walls perfectly. Even during shower time, when Vlad was free of both stupid clothes and crisp linen sheets, the spot where his tracker had been surgically implanted burned like a brand beneath his collarbone.

Hunching slightly where he sat, Vlad stared at his clasped hands. The nails were broken and filthy, his hair was a greasy mess which he knew was slated to be chopped off that night before he showered, and most of his bones were still fractured. The man could currently only suck liquid through a straw, and his meals consisted of gelatinous slop stuffed full of foul-tasting supplements.

Prison life was not treating Vlad Masters well whatsoever, and as his discomfort mounted, the man could only sit still and plot vengeance.

...

Tucker struggled against the agent that strapped him down onto a lab table, hissing in an animalistic manner. The scientist simply rolled his eyes, pulling the restraints tighter than necessary and smirking when the teen gasped. Tucker turned his head, noting that his male classmates had been strapped down to their own lab tables in the same manner, several of them sporting bruised faces as a result of trying to subdue their captors with force.

The geek screwed up his nose as Paulina's muffled shouts reached through the wall – her indignant message was clear, even if individual words could not be identified. Her behaviour matched Dash's perfectly, as the burly teen had screamed threats and insults at the top of his lungs until one of the scientists had fastened a moulded metal gag over his mouth. The jock now lay on a table, straining against his bonds. Tears glistened in dark blue eyes, and Tucker realised with a jolt that every single one of his peers in this room was, for once, just as afraid as he was. And from the screaming mess that Danny had been in on the school steps, Tucker doubted that their hero would be capable of a death-defying rescue anytime soon.

Tucker's eyes grew wide with fright as the scientist beside him clipped a clear intravenous bag full of glowing green liquid to the metal frame above his head. This man was obviously one of the head scientists, as he gave instructions to the other scientists whilst preparing the site on Tucker's exposed forearm. The dreaded needle came into view and the geek lost all composure, screeching as it was slipped beneath the skin and taped in place.

Tucker thrashed as the scientist calmly moved on to the next table, feeling the first drops of the green fluid enter his bloodstream. They sped through his veins, carving burning trails through his arm. "No, s-stop!" the boy whimpered, struggling pathetically as his veins lit on fire. "Nnngh… Help… Just stop…" The teen's gasping pleas escalated into violent screams as the liquid passed in a steady stream through his heart, looped through labouring lungs and shot through the rest of his body and up to his brain. " _Danny, help me!_ "


	23. Absquatulators

Paulina struggled and swore as she was strapped to a table, positively furious. Her lip was split and swollen where she had been backhanded across the face, which she reasoned was a rather uncalled-for punishment. All she had tried to do was tear out a scientist's throat with her teeth!

Writhing, the girl continued to hiss insults as the scientists began to produce plastic intravenous bags full of gross green goo. Paulina shuddered at the sight, her mind flicking back to the room they had previously been imprisoned in, and where the boys now lay in a sobbing, writhing heap, faces drained of colour and the faintest of glows emanating from their tears and wide open eyes.

She definitely didn't want anything to do with glowing stuff, unless it was Danny Phantom. And that meant that the scientist swabbing her inner forearm with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball was a bad sign. Paulina began to struggle violently once again, swearing at the top of her lungs as some of her classmates, for whom the infusion had already commenced, began to scream.

Paulina joined in their cries before the needle had even slipped beneath her skin.

...

Danny fidgeted on Bekah's couch, feeling truly uncomfortable at the stares levelled in his direction. The room was slowly filling with young halfas, and they bowed low to him before perching on every available surface. The hero of Amity Park felt incredibly vulnerable – at any moment, these people could attack him and he would have no way of defending himself. Not without destroying his careful plans, anyway.

"Danny, how are you?" chirped a familiar voice, and the teen twisted to face a beaming Neil.

The halfa shrugged, shuffling his wings as Neil bowed and sat next to him. "Oh, you know, messing everything up and then having to fix it," Danny grumbled.

"From what I heard, it's not your fault at all," Jarom chimed in as he bowed and entered the room, lightly whacking his brother on the back of the head by way of greeting.

Danny ground his teeth. "Would it _kill_ you guys to quit the bowing?" he demanded.

The idle chatter filling the room ceased immediately. "But, Your Highness-" a girl stuttered.

"Stop, please," Danny begged. "I'm not here as your future King, I'm just here as plain old Danny Fenton." The teen got to his feet, continuing as he faced the room's occupants. "Don't treat me like royalty, for goodness' sake. It's stupid – most of you are older and more experienced than I am! I don't have a drop of royal blood in my body, and even though I defeated Pariah Dark, I'm still just an immature halfa trapped by my own helplessness."

"Stop being so dramatic," Bekah groaned from the doorway. She turned to the assembled halfas, and Danny found his eyes straying to her completely black attire and the numerous ectoguns strapped to a belt that looped around her hips. "Short story, stop bowing to him – he hates it, and if you keep it up, he'll probably hit you."

Danny sent her a grateful glare, and the young woman smirked, jerking a finger over her shoulder. "Down the hallway, third door on the right. Pick an outfit like mine and a pair of boots that'll fit, and grab as many weapons as you can carry. I'll talk to this lot." Danny ducked his head before sidling past Bekah and heading in the direction that she pointed.

Weaving his way through piles of books stacked along the edges of the hallway floor, Danny slipped through the open door that Bekah had mentioned. His eyes immediately widened, and the teen took a step back, bracing himself against the doorframe. The room was approximately three times the size of the Ops Centre, and was lined with shelves full of heavy duty clothing. In front of these ran several racks stuffed to the brim with gleaming weapons, their sleek angles immediately catching the halfa's eye. In the very centre of the room was a large empty space, complete with an elegant black recliner, a folding screen carved from glossy dark wood, and a tiled wet area behind frosted glass above which hung a showerhead.

Shaking his head slightly at this obvious display of wealth and power, Danny wandered over to a shelf covered in folded uniforms and chose one, along with its matching pair of boots. He made a beeline for the folding frame, stepping behind it in case of unannounced intruders. Stripping down to his boxers, the halfa slipped into the heavy duty pants and long-sleeved shirt, using a knife he had swiped from one of the weapons racks to cut slits for his extra appendages. Fingerless gloves with reinforced backs were hurriedly slipped onto scarred fingers, and some sort of guard that Danny didn't recognise buckled over his forearms. Leaving his old clothes in a neat pile on the floor, Danny padded across dark floorboards to the recliner, where he sat and pulled on the boots. They were plain black and laced up to his knees, complete with extra buckled straps. One glance told Danny that they would behave in the same manner as the guards on his forearms, protecting the area from damage should he have to block an enemy's blows. Every item of clothing was the deepest black, the fabric swallowing all light that fell upon it.

Thus attired, the teen got to his feet, finding to his delight that his footfalls were completely silent as he walked lightly towards the weapons. Swishing his tail, Danny clipped several black ectoguns to his belt. Moving to the adjacent rack, he procured as many knives as he could hide within his clothing, strapping their sheathed blades to his arms and legs, and slipping them into his boots. _I could never actually kill someone with any of these weapons,_ he mused as he clipped a Taser to his belt. _I really hope that I don't stuff this plan up._

Reaching up, Danny removed Sebastian from his shoulder. "Alright, Sebby. Let's sort something out here…"

The dragonling trilled as though in agreement, and the halfa frowned, rubbing at his temples with his free hand. The brief sense of vertigo passed as quickly as it had come, and Danny mentally shook himself as the headache spiked before slipping his companion into the pouch attached to his belt. _There, now nobody can complain because they won't even know that I've brought him along._

Steeling himself, the halfa left the room, returning to Bekah's living area. She grinned when she caught sight of him, ushering the teen into the middle of the room. "Look, everyone. See what Danny's wearing? Go get dressed."

Neil pumped his fist in the air with a whoop. "Yeah, we _finally_ get to raid your weapons vault!"

Jarom rolled his eyes and flicked his younger brother on the ear. Neil yelped before launching an ectoblast at the older boy, but Jarom was already halfway down the hall. Danny chuckled as Neil raced out of the room in pursuit of his brother, tripping over several piles of books on his way. The remaining halfas in the room followed the two boys, averting their eyes when they passed their prince.

Danny scowled, but decided that it was better than having to endure their constant bowing.

Bekah sat on the couch, patting the cushion beside her. Danny perched on the spot indicated, suddenly feeling self-conscious as she looked him up and down. "Good," Bekah stated after a handful of awkward seconds. "You look like you've got everything."

Danny sighed, hunching over and resting his elbows on his knees. "Why are you getting everybody to dress up like this?"

"I thought it would have been obvious," she answered. "We're going after the Guys in White, so we need some sort of protection. Ghost powers might not be enough."

Danny scrunched up his forehead in confusion. "Yeah, but most of them were already wearing protective gear."

The girl nodded, leaning in close to Danny. "This is for you," she murmured. "You can't fly right now without using your wings, and you're pretty much powerless. If they knew that, they'd insist that you stayed behind. So, the boots you're wearing have a built-in hover board in the soles, and everyone's getting dressed up like you so that I can order them all to stay in human form for the trip."

The boy gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he breathed.

Bekah leaned back in her seat. "Besides, dressed like this, it'll be harder for the Guys in White to identify which one of us is leading the mission."

Danny quirked an eyebrow. "Won't the wings and tail give me away?" he demanded.

Bekah shook her head. "If you'll let me place an illusion on you, so long as my ghost powers are working, nobody will be able to see them."

"But don't illusions only change the appearance of things?" he asked, thinking of his scars.

It was Bekah's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You mean the cosmetic illusions? There are lots of different types, and sure, you'd use a cosmetic one to make those scars look like normal skin. The one I'm going to use bends the light around your wings and tail, making it look like they're not there. They'll still cast shadows, and will be slightly visible – sort of like a hazy image – if someone concentrates hard enough, but it'll have to do."

Danny nodded, turning so that his back faced the girl, extending his wings. A moment later he shuddered as Bekah's fingers gently brushed the membrane. She immediately pulled back. "Did I hurt you?"

Danny gulped, shaking his head. "N-no, go ahead."

The girl placed her hands against the cool scales once again and Danny clenched his fists tightly in his lap, screwing his eyes shut and struggling to remain calm. Bekah paused in her movements, shifting her hands to grasp Danny's shoulder and turn him to face her. "What's wrong?" she demanded.

Dropping his eyes, Danny mumbled his answer. "It's weird, like someone running their fingers along your throat or something. You know, in a bad way."

"Danny, look at me." Cerulean met unflinching brown. "I promise that I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe here."

The hero nodded, turning his back to Bekah once again. "Alright, let's do this," he murmured.

Bekah made a sound of assent, and once she had completed the task, Danny decided that he would prefer to tell the world his secret twenty times over instead of letting anybody touch his wings like that again. Turning his head, Danny noted with delight that he could no longer see his extra limbs. Turning to face Bekah, he quirked an eyebrow. "By the way, why do you have a massive weapons room in the middle of your lair?"

The girl ducked her head. "Where else would Wilhelmina hide her stash? She's mean enough to me in public that nobody would ever guess that she entrusted me with her most valuable possessions."

"But isn't the sheer amount going a bit overboard?" Danny grumbled, leaning back in his seat.

"Have you _met_ your aunt?" Bekah demanded. "She's convinced that ghost hunters will one day invade the Ghost Zone, and she's been hoarding equipment for the last twenty years."

Danny chuckled at that, running a hand through his hair. "That sounds like something she'd do," he conceded.

Bekah smiled, standing up and dusting off her palms. "Well, I'd better go and check that the Teilor boys aren't tearing the place apart – they've been far too quiet for my liking."

...

Grandpa Fenton shuddered, twisting arthritic fingers through grey hair and resting his forehead on the table. His wife placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "David, please, just calm down."

"It knocked Jack out!" the man wailed, pressing the palms of his hands against closed eyelids.

"Dad, he's fine," Maddie sighed, jabbing her father-in-law in the side with the Fenton Anti-Creep Stick.

"But what if I hurt him?" the man sniffed, tilting his head to glance at Maddie.

The woman chuckled, motioning towards the prone form of her husband. "I think he's fine," she reiterated as a snore rattled the orange-clad man's ribcage.

Suzanna Fenton sauntered over to where her son lay on the lab floor. "Get up," she commanded, prodding Jack with the toe of her boot. Jack snored once again, his head lolling to one side. The woman scrunched up her nose before stomping across to the lab sink, jamming a bucket under the faucet. Once satisfied with its contents, the elderly huntress made her way back towards the unconscious halfa, upending the bucket and dumping its freezing contents on his head.

Jack was up like a thunderbolt, shrieking something about ghosts. Maddie turned away, pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter as the hunter rounded on his mother, unclipping the Fenton Foamer from his utility belt and waving it in her face. For her part, the older woman simply stomped on her son's foot, using the distraction to pluck the weapon from his fingers.

Jack took an unsteady step back, swaying on his feet. "What happened?" he groaned, reaching up to knead his brow.

David sat up abruptly, swivelling to face his son. "You don't remember?" he cried, panic lacing his voice.

The halfa frowned before stepping back to brace himself against the side of the Speeder. "It's a little foggy… Wait…" His head snapped up, and Jack looked from David to Maddie and back again. "Did the serum work?"

Maddie shrugged. "Give it a go," she coaxed.

Jack didn't need any further persuasion. Silver light snapped into place around his waist, splitting into twin rings that travelled in opposite directions over his body. The hunter whooped as his transformation completed, floating slightly above the floor. He started when his legs melded together to form a ghostly tail, but quickly shrugged it off as a normal occurrence upon receiving no negative reaction from his wife.

Maddie approached Jack, reaching out to grasp his wrist and gently tug him closer to the ground. "Are you alright?" she queried. "No queasiness, or headaches, or unexplained pain?"

The man smirked. "I feel great!" he exclaimed, phasing out of Maddie's grip and back flipping as if to prove his point.

The blue-suited huntress smiled, turning to her parents-in-law. "Okay, I'm ready," she announced, stripping off her glove and presenting her forearm to David. The man gulped, lifting a syringe off the bench with a great degree of care. He slipped the needle beneath her skin, depressing the plunger without breaking eye contact with the woman.

...

Bright Eyes sighed, tapping scarred fingers against his thigh. The agent before him cowered at the steely glare, struggling to complete his report without stuttering. "…so it's safe to conclude th-that there were no adverse effects, and the procedure is safe f-for general use," he spluttered.

Bright Eyes inclined his head in a manner which he thought made him appear pensive. In reality, the man simply seemed to be falling asleep. "Very well," he rumbled. "Abduct the others. Start with Amity Park, as its citizens are more likely to have a high susceptibility to ectoplasmic contamination thanks to years of exposure – the infusion will work smoother for them."

Bright Eyes' subordinate snapped his heels together, standing to full attention. "Yes, sir!"

...

Tucker slammed his fists against the ghost shield with a strangled cry. His peers were behaving in a similar fashion, but no matter what they tried, the humans were unable to pass through the transparent green barrier. Stepping away from the shield, Tucker turned in a circle, trying to spot the rest of Team Phantom.

His gaze first alighted on Danielle, and Tucker's heart clenched at how truly dejected she looked. The halfa had not been subjected to the infusion like the rest of them, and she cowered in the corner farthest from the door, cerulean eyes screwed shut and hands clasped over her ears. The geek could only guess at the reason, but he supposed that the plain white room was enough to induce a panic attack for the teen. She had shied away from all physical contact, and had even bloodied Valerie's lip when the huntress had tried to reach out to her. Eventually, Team Phantom had decided to leave her alone.

Valerie was kicking the barrier, a steady stream of swear words issuing from her lips. Her forest green eyes brimmed with tears, but the teen stared resolutely ahead, battering the 'wall' of their prison with all her might.

Tucker sighed, turning towards Sam. She had already given up trying to break free, and sat slumped against the barrier next to where Tucker stood. She tilted her head back to glance at him, and the geek felt his gut twist at the faint glow emanating from her violet eyes. Gulping, the boy allowed his shaking legs to give way, sitting next to the Goth. "What have they done to us?" he whispered.

Sam hung her head once more. "I have a theory, but you're not going to like it," she breathed.

"Well, out with it," he commanded in an undertone.

"Nobody's phasing through the floor or displaying any other powers," Sam murmured. "They didn't give us enough for that."

"So what are you suggesting?"

Before Sam could respond, the door was slammed open, and agents streamed into the room, passing through the barrier as though it did not exist. They carried trays of food, which were set on the floor in the middle of the room. One of the agents stood in the doorway. "The bathroom is over there," he announced, motioning towards an open door which was not blocked by the glowing shield. "It is now time for dinner, and once you have eaten, you are to go to bed." He waved his hand in the direction of the only other door unobstructed by the ghost shield. "Any resistance will be met with punishment."

Tucker pushed himself off the floor. "Why can't we go through the barrier? What have you _done_ to us?" he demanded.

The scientist smirked. "You are all now one quarter of a per cent ghost." Tucker stilled, staring in horror as the man continued to speak. "It is just enough for you to be affected by ghost shields and injured by ectoweapons, without giving you ghost powers. In addition, you will each have a chip implanted tomorrow – if there is any subordination, prepare for electrocution. If you continue to misbehave despite this, you shall be sucked into your own Fenton thermos."

Tucker stumbled back against the shield, sliding to the floor once again as the agents left the room, locking the door behind them.

...

Bright Eyes slipped through Masters' ghost portal, motioning for his subordinates to follow. Once their vehicles floated within the alien atmosphere, the man headed in the direction of the Fenton portal. The trip was relatively short, and within half an hour they perched on a floating rock next to the spot where the swirling vortex usually resided.

"They closed it, hm?" the man grumbled. He produced a remote, keying in the code and watching with satisfaction as red lasers fanned out from the tip of the device. They scanned the empty space before him, and the remote beeped twice. Without further ado, Bright Eyes keyed in a command. The remote's rays turned orange, converging to a single pinpoint before spreading out again with a sound like metal tearing. As they spread, the fabric of the universe was rent, forcing the Fenton portal to open. They passed through, moving across the metal floor of the empty lab without making a sound.

...

"So, where are we going?" Bekah demanded once their company hovered in the space outside her lair.

Danny turned to face their group, gulping when he realised how intimidating they all looked. "Well, my portal's locked. We can't _make_ any portals ourselves because there's a barrier thing set up, isolating each one hundred acres. This is supposed to keep the Guys in White trapped in a specific area, and stop them from taking people from numerous cities."

"So how are we going to get out of the Ghost Zone?" a girl with sapphire hair grumbled.

"Easy," Danny said with a smirk, before flinching as his core twisted in a familiar sting. He brushed it off as a malfunction of his bound powers before continuing to speak. "We'll use Vlad's portal. Once we get there, we'll use the Plasmius Phaser to-"

"The what?"

Danny glared at Jarom. "It's one of Vlad's new inventions that breaks through barriers and shields. We'll use it to travel through barriers until we get to the Guys in White base that I know of. There, we should be able to find information telling us where everyone's being kept."

"Alright, you heard him!" Bekah shouted. "Everyone, follow Danny!"

Gulping, the teen shifted his weight and kicked the button on his hover board, praying that he wouldn't fall off as he zoomed in the general direction of Vlad's lair.

As they reached the particular vortex leading to the human realm, Danny felt a sharp stinging sensation whip through his core several times in rapid succession for the seventh time since leaving Bekah's lair several hours beforehand. _Who the heck is passing over my grave?_

"Is something wrong?"

Danny started at the question, turning to face Neil. "Of course not," the teen huffed. "I was just trying to remember the code."

"And what is it?" Neil queried.

Danny screwed up his nose, swishing his 'invisible' tail through the air. "Just something twisted."

He turned back to the keypad, typing in _Madeline and Daniel Masters_ before lifting the latch.

"So they only took humans, right?" the boy asked.

The hero ground his teeth. "Yes, Neil. Otherwise, the entire clan would have helped with the rescue."

The boy furrowed his brow. "So they didn't take your family?"

"No, of course… Oh, hell." Danny pressed a hand over his face, kneading his brow.

"Who'd they take?" Neil prompted.

The teen sighed, tilting his head back to glare at the ceiling. "They took Ella. Urgh, I'm such an _idiot!_ "

"Well, it's too late to go back now," Bekah sighed from behind him. "All we can do is attack as a group and call the clan for backup should something go wrong."

Danny grumbled incoherently, aiming a kick in the direction of the Plasmius Maximus.

...

The Guys in White snuck through the shadows of early morning Amity Park with swift precision, targeting the houses coloured red on their maps. Dragging sedated children back to the Fenton portal, they deposited them in the waiting speeders. Pausing in the Fentons' living area, Bright Eyes placed a radio against his lips. "We have one hour until sunrise," he breathed into the device. "Everyone, collect your final child and return to FentonWorks." Pocketing the radio, the agent flinched and ducked behind the couch as the kitchen light flickered on.

Jack Fenton ambled into view, rubbing his eyes and grumbling as he headed for the fridge. Bright Eyes moved as silently as he could, crawling along the ground in the direction of the lab door. He had almost reached it when his shoulder bumped the leg of the coffee table, sending a Fenton thermos falling to the ground with a hollow clang.

Jack whipped around, squinting. His eyes immediately fixed on the crouched figure, and the hunter froze before whipping an ectogun off the bench. "Halt!" he shouted, brandishing the weapon.

Bright Eyes smirked, scooping the thermos off the floor and uncapping it in one smooth movement. Jack leaped backwards with an exclamation, but was unable to escape the vortex of light, and disappeared into the thermos with a shriek.

Clipping the thermos to his belt, Bright Eyes crept down the lab stairs, stationing himself beside his vehicle. As his subordinates began to return with their quarry, the man allowed a smile to creep across his features. It was too easy – Bright Eyes wondered why nobody had succeeded at world domination before.

Within half an hour, they had returned to the ghost zone, and were speeding towards Vlad's portal with the entirety of Amity Park's population of school-aged children unconscious and trussed up like poultry.

...

Danny frowned, turning to face the Masters portal. Even with his powers bound, the dense blanket of malevolence threatened to stifle him. The other halfas also turned in its direction, before leaping into the air as several unmarked vehicles entered the lab. Danny glowered as he caught sight of Bright Eyes through the windshield of the lead speeder, ducking behind Vlad's shelf of books as the agent leaped out of the vehicle and uncapped a thermos.

As the agent began to suck up their party, Danny turned to Bekah, who was crouched beside him. "Hey," he whispered, shoving the Plasmius Phaser into her hands, "get the hell out of here."

"What?" she breathed, her eyes wide.

"Go," he insisted. "At least you have ghost powers and can escape. Follow at a safe distance, and call for backup."

"So you're just gunna give yourself up?" she growled.

Danny flashed her a grin. "Well, yeah. I mean, they need to be focusing on capturing me so that the rest of you guys can escape. Get outta here, now!"

With that, the powerless halfa leaped to his feet and began to zigzag across the lab, dodging the swirling vortex emanating from the mouth of the thermos. He shouted several obscenities at the agents, jumping over boxes and diving beneath tables with ease.

Gritting her teeth, Bekah motioned for those who had yet to be captured to turn invisible and phase through the ceiling. She waited until all of her remaining company left the room, and reached for Danny. She wasn't fast enough – he disappeared into the thermos with a yelp, and Bekah barely managed to phase through the ceiling before the thermos' vortex ravaged the space where she had been floating.

...

Out of every invention he had come into contact with, Danny still hated the Fenton thermos the most. There was something truly dehumanising about being broken down into glowing sludge and compressed into a tiny metal cylinder, and the experience had left the halfa with terrible claustrophobia. The situation was a thousand times worse when sharing the thermos with other prisoners – your very essence mingled with theirs, and it became difficult to deduce where your own consciousness terminated and another's began.

It was little wonder that the Box Ghost and Lunch Lady had married upon their release after being trapped together in the contraption for over a week.

As soon as he was sucked into the thermos, Danny's mind was accosted by those around him. Although actual communication was impossible, emotions were conveyed quite clearly, and distinct flashes of memory could be discerned. Danny retreated into his mind as best he could, trying to ignore the outrage of his fellow prisoners. Their indignation and utter confusion threatened to overwhelm him, but the halfa chalked it down to this being their first ever experience in the thermos.

Danny started when a familiar consciousness brushed against his own. _No way…_ He quickly sent out waves of calm, trying to reassure Jack's frenzied panic. But upon realising that it was his _son_ trapped with him, Jack's panic increased rapidly, and Danny felt himself become overwhelmed. He couldn't keep control of himself for much longer, the teen realised with a start – sure enough, as Jack's panic attack began to set off the other prisoners, Danny felt his grip on reality slip. Claustrophobia overcame his consciousness, and Danny gave in to the waves of panic pressing upon his mind, losing himself amongst the mingled consciousness that beat against his boundaries.


	24. Pyrrhic

Maddie stumbled down the steps, her fingers lightly grazing the banister as she descended. "Jack?" she called, stepping into the kitchen and sweeping her gaze over the room. The lack of filthy dishes and the uncharacteristically clean bench indicated that her husband had not raided the kitchen overnight – an unusual occurrence – and the huntress frowned as her eyes alighted on an ectogun that lay in the doorway.

"Honey, are you down here?" Maddie called again, crossing the room and bending over to retrieve the fallen weapon. Her spine tingled, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing up at a familiar humming. Flipping off the safety, Maddie positioned her finger over the trigger and slipped through the open lab door, descending the staircase with the grace of a panther.

The huntress stiffened as she caught sight of the open portal.

" _Jack?_ " she shouted, sweeping the gun across the room. Realising that she was alone in the lab, the woman crossed to the portal's control panel and pressed her thumb against the scanner. Registering her DNA, the computer system beeped happily, printing out several sheets of paper which detailed any disturbance in the portal's wavelengths, indicating the time and quantity of objects that had passed through. Giving the printouts a cursory glance, Maddie froze before frantically searching the data. Dozens of humans had entered the human world, before returning to the ghost zone with other humans in tow. This pattern was repeated over the course of two hours, without any ghostly activity whatsoever.

The papers slipped from the woman's fingers, fluttering to the floor as Maddie teleported to the police station.

...

Bright Eyes entered the dimly lit office with a triumphant grin, placing the thermos on the table with finality.

"If that's another useless ghost, I swear-"

The beaming agent raised a hand, addressing the shadows before him. "Not at all, sir! This thermos contains none other than Jack Fenton, along with several creatures – whom we believe to be halfas – found lurking in Masters' laboratory."

"This was not part of the plan," the voice rumbled, glowing yellow eyes narrowing dangerously.

Bright Eyes felt a chill run up his spine at the sight. "I know, sir, but now we have hostages! I mean, an army of youth is all good and dandy, but if we have hostages from the halfa clans…" he trailed off, raising and lowering one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.

The figure swathed in shadows grunted, extending a skeletal hand. Bright Eyes suppressed a shudder at the sight, trying not to stare at the appendage that was little more than grey flesh stretched over bone. The claw of a hand beckoned and the scientist warily picked up the thermos, holding it out like a bizarre offering.

Pressing the tip of the thermos to his cowl, the creature breathed deeply. "Mmmmm," he hissed, "their fear is intoxicating." He gave the thermos a vigorous shake, and Bright Eyes fancied that he could hear the screams of its occupants. "Very well," the figure snapped. "Put them in the cell area with the others."

"Yes, sir," the agent murmured, inclining his head. He reached out and took the thermos, unable to suppress a tremor as the clammy fingers of his employer brushed against his own in the exchange. He hurried out of the dark room, pausing in the bright white hallway to regain his unruffled demeanour.

_Come on, man. Just play along for a while longer; you can get rid of the geezer when he shows you the secret to immortality,_ he thought, brushing imaginary lint off his suit and striding purposefully down the corridor.

...

Danny hit the floor, hard. Groaning, he pressed his hands against stinging eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden sensory overload. That was the problem with spending time in the thermos – it provided no sensory stimulation, leaving the body weak and disoriented upon release.

A familiar set of voices began to cry his name, and the halfa moaned as he was caught up in Danielle's arms. "Ella, give some space for a moment," he rasped, keeping streaming eyes screwed shut against the brilliant fluorescent lighting. Danny felt the girl back off, and he moved his hands to skim them over a tiled floor.

Danny cracked his eyes open the slightest amount, squinting at his sister. "I'm fine," he reassured her. A familiar groan came from nearby, and the hero forced a smile onto his numb face. "I got this. Go help Dad, okay?"

Ella smiled back tentatively before moving over to Jack, pressing a cool hand against his face and speaking quietly.

Danny turned his attention to the girl who had been sitting patiently beside him for the past couple of minutes. "Hi," he breathed, blinking the final tears out of his eyes as he folded Sam in a gentle hug.

"Hi," she responded in a whisper, burying her face in his shoulder.

"I came for you." He rubbed his hand in slow, soothing circles as her tears began to soak through his shirt.

"You always do," the Goth sniffed, clutching at the boy as though he would turn to smoke and slip through her fingers.

Danny chuckled lightly. "Well, I'll _always_ come for you," he promised, ruffling her hair.

Sam pulled away and the boy jerked backwards, his breathing hitching at the sight of her glowing eyes. "What happened?!" he shrieked, leaning forwards to touch the pad of his thumb beneath her eye.

Sam shrugged. "The Guys in White turned us a quarter of a per cent ghost so it's easier for them to imprison and threaten us."

"A quarter ghost?"

"Mmm." Sam shook her head. "One quarter of one per cent – zero point two five. It makes us ghost enough that we're affected by weapons, but have no powers ourselves."

The ghost boy closed his eyes, swallowing in an effort to control himself. He opened them again. "Right." The hero lurched to his feet, rolling stiff shoulders. "I'm going to grind that shadow ghost into the dust."

Sam flinched at the steel in his voice. "Danny –"

"You can't talk me out of this," he interrupted. "The ghost that caused all this is going to pay."

Sam frowned, knowing better than to argue with him right now. "By the way, where are your wings and tail?"

Danny shrugged. "Still here," he admitted, "just hidden by one of Bekah's illusions."

He pecked her on the cheek before sauntering into the middle of the room.

A quick clearing of his throat, and everyone was staring at Danny. He shrugged sheepishly. "Well, this rescue didn't go quite as we'd planned it," he started to several snorts from the other Thalassians. "However, I've got a backup one. Everybody who is sixteen or older, come and grab a weapon from either me or from one of the other halfas. You younger ones, I know you want to fight as well, but we're going up against grown adults and evil ghosts here. All of you who are between ten and fifteen, you can have a small knife or blaster. I'm going to buddy you up with the youngest children, and you can defend your buddies with everything you have. Are we all clear on that?"

Valerie tilted her head. "Question," she called over the whispers that had started up. "How do we get rid of the barrier?"

Danny waved a hand dismissively. "Leave that to me," he commanded, beginning to distribute his weaponry. "Thalassians, a word?"

They gathered around him faster than he had expected. "Um, sorry about this, guys. I didn't think we'd get caught like that. But I need us to split up now – Jarom and Neil, can you guys help me to retrieve the Plasmius Phaser? If the Guys in White escape with it, they could keep taking children and relocate, and all our work'd be for nothing. The rest of you, can you please get everyone out of here safely?"

There were nods of assent, and the halfas returned to handing out their weapons.

Danny moved to the edge of the room, prising the cover off a tiny air vent. Neil followed him, raising an eyebrow. "It's not like you can fit in there," he observed. "I mean, _I_ could, what with my shape shifting, but you can't fit."

Danny shook his head. "We need someone to melt the generator for the shield. Problem is, you've got an ice core – no matter what you shift into, you'll only produce cold, and I don't know if that'll turn off the generator. The generator'll be in a tiny space just next to this vent if the humming's anything to go by, so there'll be no changing back to a bigger size, so no ectoblasts. I need you to go in there with Sebastian to guide him, and he'll breathe fire to melt the generator."

"Can't you guide him using telepathy?"

Danny ground his teeth, gently removing Sebastian from the pouch at his hip. "No, I can't. That's why I need you to guide and protect him – I'll meet you back here as soon as you've busted the generator."

"How do you know we can access it?"

The teen huffed. "I know how the Guys in White do things, okay? Their machines are clunky and heat up really easily, so they need to have access to airflow. It'll be right next to the air vent, in a little alcove, okay?"

Neil gulped. "Alright," he conceded, shifting into a small lizard that clung to Danny's glove.

Danny placed Sebastian and Neil gently into the vent, watching apprehensively as the lizard led the dragonling into the gloom.

...

Tucker managed to swipe two blasters from one of the halfas, approaching Valerie where she was crouched in the corner of the room. "Got you one!" he exclaimed, grinning as he handed her the gun.

Valerie stared at the blaster clasped in her hands before sending the boy a tight smile. "Thanks," she rasped as he seated himself beside her.

"You're not taking this too well," the geek observed, fiddling with the settings of his own gun.

The girl shrugged. "I've never been so scared and lost in my life," she admitted. "How can I hunt ghosts when I'm now part of one?"

"Danny does it pretty well," Tucker snorted.

Valerie stiffened. "Yeah, well I'm not Danny. I can't walk out of here and go back to pretending that I know which ghost is good and which isn't. I'm not even sure that I _want_ to hunt ghosts anymore! I mean," she sniffed, "what sort of a life is that?"

Tucker chewed at his lip anxiously. "Well, you'll have plenty of time to decide when we get out of here, right?"

Val shrugged. "Get real. We're not escaping from here."

"They haven't inserted the chips into us yet."

"Chips or not, they're still too strong!" she spat. "None of us are ever going to stand free under the sun again!"

Tucker sighed. "Danny's gotten us out of worse than this," he admitted. "Remember Pariah Dark? He's also saved us from other nasties that you wouldn't know about. He _will_ get us out of here. And once he does..." The boy cleared his throat, suddenly looking embarrassed.

Val frowned. "What is it?"

Tucker swallowed. "Well, I was going to ask... I mean... Once we get out of here, maybe we could..."

Valerie's mouth slowly curved into a smile. "Are you asking me out?" she enquired in a soft voice.

Blushing furiously, the boy ducked his head in a quick nod.

The young woman's smile morphed into a downright grin. "If we get out of here alive, I'll definitely go on a date with you."

"Really?!"

"Mmm-hmm." Nodding, Val got to her feet, offering the flabbergasted teen a hand up. "We'll break out of here now, and as soon as we can, let's go get some ice cream or something."

Tucker handed the girl her blaster, grinning as she stalked off in the direction of one of the halfas. He had a date! _Finally!_

...

Wilhelmina and Maddie reached the Thalassic Clan's domain at the same time as the ill-fated rescue party. A conference was called with Ashray and Kellie, and soon the entire Thalassic Clan was preparing to rescue the children.

Bekah received her biggest lecture from Will ever, but in the end it was conceded that the girl couldn't be punished for simply trying to help her friend. With the abduction of their young warriors, the entire clan was spurred into action, and thousands of battle-ready halfas gathered at the edge of the Thalassic territory within an hour.

The Guys in White were now official enemies of their clan, and the Thalassians were prepared to strike back with a vengeance in order to eradicate this threat.

...

Danny grinned when the shield flickered out of existence. He stuck his hand into the smoking vent, removing it at the tiny prick of claws through his gloves. A lizard and dragon clung to the fabric, and the former morphed into a soot-covered Neil as soon as they were free from the vent.

He coughed, shaking the filth from chocolate curls with a grimace. "Well, at least it worked," he spluttered.

Danny clapped him on the back with a grin. "Well done," he praised, positioning Sebastian on his shoulder before moving to stand by the door. "Everyone, are you clear as to what you're supposed to be doing?" As a chorus of affirmative sounds and an excited screech from his dragon, the hero raised a hand into the air. "Then let's bust this joint!"

He kicked the door, putting all of his weight behind the movement. On the second strike, the doorframe splintered, and on the third, the door burst open. Danny led the charge, leaping through the space and immediately engaging a burly agent with one of his knives.

He passed the blade over the man's upper arm, smiling grimly as it severed tendons. The arm fell limp, and Danny got his knife up just in time to block a downwards swing from the man's other hand. The forearm landed on the blade, and Danny twisted, swiping its sharp edge through his assailant's muscle.

The agent gasped in pain, grunting as he threw himself at the slight teen in an effort to smother him. He managed to slam a sloppy fist into the boy's shoulder, and Phantom flinched at the instant bruise. Danny mentally thanked Dora and the people of the Far Frozen for their weekly lessons in combat as he forced his knee into the man's groin, simultaneously digging his fingers into the flesh at the base of the man's ribs and curling his fingers into fists.

The man shrieked at the sudden pain in both his groin and side. Danny utilised this distraction to slam his elbow into his assailant's skull a couple of times before looping his arm around the back of the man's neck and clasping hands, leaning back slightly to tighten the bloodhold.

The man was unconscious in a matter of seconds, and Danny took a step back with a gasp, swinging around to note that the rest of his companions were engaged in similar battles. The numbers of agents and fighting youths were just about equal, but he didn't want to tip the scales yet by asking the younger ones to fight – Danny doubted that they would be able to beat these trained agents with the surety that he and his peers could. Another agent came at him, and Danny blocked grimly, using his free hand to swipe with his knife at the man's tendons.

Slowly, the group of teens made their way down the corridor, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.

...

The rhythm of battle shifted upon the arrival of ghosts. Valerie swung her blaster to face the spectres, squeezing her finger against the trigger and exhaling deeply. She was used to this – just her and some ghosts and a gun that spat superheated ectoplasm. Sure, maybe Valerie wasn't going to hunt ghosts as a career, but she wouldn't give it up entirely. _Perhaps I could get into the inventing side of things_ , she mused. _The Fentons might take me on for an internship if I go to study spectral engineering or something like that at uni._

Her confidence bolstered by this resolution, Valerie jumped towards the head of the group, sending Danny a brilliant grin. "This is going well, hm?"

Danny chuckled. "I can see that you're enjoying yourself," he responded, leaning against the wall to take a few deep breaths as the fighting lulled. Sebastian squawked indignantly, fighting to maintain balance where he was perched on the ghost boy's head.

The young woman shrugged, gesturing towards the three corridors that branched off in front of them. "Well, which way do we go?"

Danny frowned, looking around as though a map would magically appear. "I… I don't actually know," he confessed. Turning to his halfa companions, Danny pointed to the corridors. "What do you guys think?"

"I think we should split up," Sophie supplied, unscrewing her blaster and replacing its dead power chip with a new one.

Jarom nodded. "It's too dangerous for us all to stay in a big group like this. Sure, we offer more protection to the younger ones, but what if we're overpowered? It's better for them to catch a few of us instead of all."

Danny inclined his head. "That was my reasoning as well," he remarked before raising his voice in a shout. "Okay, everyone, break up into three groups! Even numbers of humans and halfas, please!" He pointed to Jarom and Sophie. "Group one, take the tunnel on the right. Group two, take the middle." He pointed to Neil and one of the other halfas. "Dad and I will take the left hand hallway. Jarom, Neil, remember to look for the Plasmius Phaser! Get it at all costs!"

Jack ambled over to Danny, grinning. "Hey, Danny-boy," he greeted, ruffling his son's unruly hair, much to Sebastian's indignation. "I'm proud of you, son."

The teen raised an eyebrow. "Uh…"

"You're doing great, and we'll get out of here, don't you worry."

Danny returned the man's smile, briefly clasping his father's forearm. "Thanks, Dad."

Jack turned to bellow at their group to assemble, and Valerie took the opportunity to step towards Danny again. "I hope you're not going to tell me to back off the fighting now," she murmured.

The halfa shrugged. "It'd be pretty hypocritical if I did, since I've been powerless since you guys were kidnapped." He fiddled with his blaster, twirling it between his fingers in a smooth movement. Valerie found her eyes drawn towards this, smiling ever so slightly at the realisation that _of course_ the Fentons would have trained their children to use ghost hunting weapons. Just because everybody had observed Danny Fenton running from fights for years didn't mean that he couldn't defend himself. Besides, Phantom would have had his fair share of power outages – Valerie wagered that handheld weapons had saved his skin numerous times in the past.

The young woman frowned. "Powerless?"

Danny shrugged. "The foam that covered the school nullifies a ghost's powers indefinitely."

"But what if you end up facing one of the main agents in here?!" she hissed. "What about that big evil ghost?"

"I've got a plan," he insisted. "Sort of an emergency thing, and it only lasts for a short time, so I'll wait until I have to use it. I'm also kind of saving it for the main agent here."

Valerie planted her hands on slim hips. "Daniel James Fenton, if you end up dying thanks to some stupid plan, I'm going to suck your ghost into the thermos, tie a rock to the handle, and throw it in the lake for your father to fish out."

Danny grimaced. "I promise that this'll work, and we can all go home safely."

"It'd better work," Val grumbled, punching him lightly in the shoulder before moving towards the corridor.

...

They progressed smoothly until the corridor branched into two. One way was lit by a glowing green EXIT sign, and the group headed hurriedly towards it.

"Danny?" Jack called over his shoulder, glancing back towards the boy who had paused at the junction.

"You go on," the teen called, "I'll catch up soon."

Jack and Valerie both stopped, the former waving their group towards the clearly visible door to freedom.

"Danny-boy," the large man sighed.

"I have to do this," Danny said, inching towards the other corridor.

"You're not going alone," Jack insisted, moving to place a hand on his son's shoulder.

"But the group-"

"They'll be okay," Valerie supplied. "That door should lead straight outside, and I'm fairly certain that we've already beaten up most of the agents. You're not running off to fight this creep without us."

Danny nodded brusquely. "Thanks, guys."

As a group, the three hunters began their journey down the corridor, moving towards their quarry.

...

It didn't take long to find the person they were searching for. Bright Eyes stepped out of an office, almost bumping into Jack. He took one look at the small group and blanched, diving back through the office door.

"He has the thermos," Danny observed. "Dad, maybe you could go invisible and sneak up on him while Val and I attack? If I get sucked up, at least you can free me once you win."

Jack opened his mouth to protest, but paused when the teen passed a dragonling to him. "Take care of Sebastian for the next bit, would you?"

Valerie and Danny tiptoed towards to door, and Jack turned invisible, following anxiously as the teens leaped through the open space, sweeping their weapons left and right.

Bright Eyes was cowering behind a large ghost swathed in darkness. Glowing yellow slits in the place of eyes narrowed, and the spectre laughed. "Well, look who we have here," he drawled. Ghosts flickered into visibility around him, their features obscured by that same layer of darkness.

There were too many of them.

Jack flew across the room in a bid to retrieve the Plasmius Phaser from Bright Eyes, but as he neared the agent, he slammed into some sort of barrier. It sent bolts of electricity sizzling through the hunter's frame, and Jack screamed, falling back to collapse on the floor.

Bright Eyes squawked, racing for the door behind him and slipping through.

Danny cursed as the agent disappeared, flicking his blaster to its strongest setting. "You knew I'd come for you, didn't you?" he demanded, stepping over his father's flailing form.

The ghost spread his arms. "Of course I did, my boy. If there's ever a rule with you, it's that you're predictable."

Danny smirked. "The last ghost I met who went on about rules didn't think so," he said. "I managed to surprise him a lot."

The spectre hissed its displeasure, and Danny tilted his head. "You don't happen to _know_ Walker, do you?"

As if at some unbidden signal, the amassed ghosts launched themselves into a vicious attack. Their leader floated impassively, yellow eyes fixed on the young halfa as he blasted the minions with deadly accuracy.

Valerie pressed her back against Danny's, and they worked together to protect themselves, along with the semi-conscious form of Jack. "You know," Val huffed, "Tucker asked me out earlier."

Danny shoved his spent blaster back into its holster, producing a fresh one from where it was strapped to the inside of his leg. "And?"

"Well, I said yes," she panted, "and I was wondering if you were okay with that."

Danny shrugged, blasting another ghost into the Ghost Zone with his miniature bazooka. "It'll be great," he insisted. "You and Tuck'll have a lot of fun, and he won't feel like such a third wheel anymore."

Valerie smiled, shooting at one of the final minions. "I was just making sure you were alright with it," she confessed, jerking her head in the direction of the leader.

Danny took the hint, leaving her to fend off the last few guards while he lunged towards the main ghost.

The blaster was knocked out of his hands, and Danny had just enough time to whip a knife out of its sheath to block a vicious downswing from the spectre's own blade. "Why are you doing this?" the boy demanded, thrusting with his blade. He nicked his opponent, and leaped to the side in order to avoid another downswing. The tip of Danny's knife dripped with the enemy's viscous ectoplasm, and the halfa smiled grimly.

"Do you even know _how_ to use that sword?" Danny demanded, ducking and weaving his opponent's clumsy swipes. More than once, the boy was thankful for his armguards, as he used them to deflect some of his assailant's weaker strikes.

His taunts seemed to make the spectre angry, his inexperienced swipes with the blade growing erratic. Danny grinned, swept up in his own confidence as he skipped out of the way of another strike, his back hitting the wall…

_Oh, hell._

Danny tried to shift away, but found himself pushed hard against the corner that he had been manoeuvred into.

The fight had shifted now. Danny blocked frantically, utilising both the knife in his fingers and the armour on his arms and hands as shields. He tried several times to slip out of the constricting corner, but was thwarted in these escape attempts by vicious stabs that opened up small cuts across his shoulders.

Blocking one particular strike, Danny found that his knife, along with the hand holding it, was jammed against the wall. The enemy produced a knife in its extra hand, and Danny used his free arm to grasp its wrist. This deflected the stab to his stomach, and the blade raked across the boy's hip instead. Danny gave a surprised cry of pain, struggling to twist out of his opponent's trap. _I can't use it now,_ he lamented, _I need to save it to defeat Bright Eyes!_

Sebastian flew towards the spectre's face with a furious growl, but the ghost was too fast. It slammed its body into Danny's, squashing the halfa against the wall as it grasped at the dragonling. Sebastian squealed in fear, the sound turning to a scream as the enemy pinned him to the wall by stabbing the knife through fragile wings.

Sebastian hung from the wall like a bizarre ornament, letting loose disturbingly humanlike screams as he struggled against the blade pinning him there.

This drove Danny over the edge.

He felt fury seep through his limbs, lending them new strength. The halfa threw his assailant off him, ignoring the small voice that told him to calm down because anger makes a warrior erratic.

"How _dare_ you," Danny growled, swinging broadly with his blade. It was deflected easily, but the halfa was undeterred. "How _dare_ you attack my companion!"

He wasn't thinking straight, that much was obvious. Danny lurched forwards, fury making him feel invincible. He had never been this angry. Everything seemed to build up into one tidal wave of pain, and Danny just wanted to let it out. This creature was behind it all. He was the reason that Danny was powerless, the reason that the children from Amity Park had been ripped from their homes and infused with ectoplasm, the reason that Jack currently lay on the floor in dire need of a healer. His other frustrations contributed as well; Danny had not been able to exact his revenge for his abuse at the hands of Vlad, and his thanks to this creep, the entire world now knew his secret.

Danny exploded in a scream of rage, launching himself at the spectre as tears began to trickle down his cheeks.

The ghost's blade broke through Danny's armour and opened him up from collarbone to hips in a diagonal slash; the wound would have been fatal if not for the barrier that his protective gear had provided. The force of the blow sent Danny sprawling onto the floor, and as he scrabbled for a weapon to defend himself with, Danny realised that he was beaten.

The blade began its descent towards his throat, and Danny stared at it, transfixed. It was beautiful – the metal gleamed softly with a supernatural green glow, its angles sleek and perfect. If her were to die, Danny was happy that he would be killed by such a glorious weapon.

Something appeared between the halfa and his executioner, and Danny blinked in confusion. Wasn't he supposed to be dying right now?

The girl with dark hair swung her own knife towards the ghost, but she was full of openings. Danny tried to tell her that, struggled to call out that she should really defend he left side, but then the spectre's blade slipped through the opening and sheathed itself in her chest.

Valerie gasped, the sound sharp in the bare, white room.

She tilted her head down, staring at the hilt protruding from her ribcage. Slowly, as if in a movie, the girl fell to the floor, her limbs jerking as she attempted to tug the blade out of her body.

Danny snapped back into full awareness, jolting into a sitting position as Valerie let loose a wet, choking scream.

"Val!" he cried. The girl didn't respond, her eyes moving in and out of focus as she gasped shallowly for air.

"Execution was always my favourite part of the job," the ghost murmured, and it all clicked into place. _To hell with the plan._

Danny lurched to his feet, ignoring the blood and ectoplasm that soaked his front and splattered to the floor. "Walker," he growled, putting as much venom into the name as he could.

The ghost flourished, and its mantle of darkness disappeared. "Bingo, punk!" he said, giving Danny a little bow.

"Why?" the halfa choked. "Why would you do this?"

Walker smiled, the yellow haze around his face dissipating to reveal eyes that glowed green with maniacal glee. "The Ghost Zone is too tame," he confessed. "I wanted to better myself, to improve the reaches of my iron rule! What better place to invade than the human world?"

Danny took a deep breath, reaching within himself for the tiny spark that Grim had spoken of.

" _If you're ever truly stuck, your Reaper powers will give you a brief boost. Just enough for a couple of minutes, so use it wisely. This sort of re-charges every time you get your powers back after having them bound, but be careful, okay?"_

The halfa exhaled slowly, shadows creeping from around the room to coalesce at his feet. They swept around his form in a vortex of darkness, and Danny felt a burst of power shoot through his core. He used it to phase the crown from its chain, placing it on his head as the flames engulfed his body and drove the shadows away.

Walker stepped back uncertainly as Danny's form was flooded with the power of the king of the Ghost Zone.

The crown unleashed the binding on his core, and Phantom smirked, levelling burning green eyes at his opponent. "Originally, I wasn't going to kill whoever was responsible," he stated in a voice laced with such power that Walker shivered, "but I think that it's time for you to move on."

Danny waved a hand, and his Reaper's scythe appeared in it. "Goodbye, Walker," he said simply, sweeping the wickedly curved blade through the air.

Walker screamed as it passed through his form. There was no visible damage, no slicing of skin or splattering of ectoplasm, but Walker screamed as though mortally wounded.

His form began to evaporate into flakes that burned like ash, and Walker clutched at his core, screaming bloody murder as he faded out of this plane of existence.

Danny placed his three middle fingers against his own forehead, sliding them down to brush against his lips. "May your soul find peace," he intoned in the traditional offering for a spectre passing on.

The final flakes of Walker burned themselves out, leaving behind nothing but the sharp tang of ozone.

Danny turned at the weak gasps beside him, eyes widening. "Val!" he exclaimed, sinking to his knees beside the girl. Her eyes were unseeing, her breathing weak and almost non-existent.

The halfa pulled the blade out of her chest, eliciting a choking gasp from the dying girl. "Hang in there," he begged, placing glowing hands against her chest as blood began to soak through the knees of his clothing.

The glow dissipated as soon as he began to call up his powers of healing, and the boy felt panic tighten his chest. "Come on, just another minute!" he begged, watching in horror as his princely guise began to melt away. The flames returned to his wrist, and the crown sat on his head, nothing but an ornate circle of metal.

" _NO!_ " the teen screamed, trying with all his might to push any last vestiges of power into a healing ray. "No, no, nonononono!"

The words dissolved into hitching sobs, and Danny could only watch helplessly as the final lights faded from Valerie Gray's sightless green eyes.


	25. Wounded

Ella twirled her blaster with a sigh, ensuring that she remained between the children she guarded and any potential threats. She kept her face expressionless, eyes darting across the hallway in a constant search for danger. The girl looked calm, brimming with a confidence that bolstered those around her.

Inside, Danielle was seething.

They had abandoned her! Her father and brother had simply turned their backs and left Danielle to be shepherded through the hallways like some defenceless human. She could fight, and the boys knew that, so why had they not bothered to take her along?

The girl glanced over at Sam and Tucker; the two conversed in whispers, the geek grinning like a lunatic as Sam smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. He was practically floating, and Ella felt a small smile creep across her face at the teen's obvious joy.

"What are you so happy about?" she murmured, sidling up to Tucker.

He directed his grin towards her, eyes lighting up. "Val agreed to date me!" he whispered, practically skipping along.

Ella giggled, earning an elbow in the ribs from Sam. "Don't encourage him," the Goth chastised, the corners of her own lips tugging into a small smile. "He was going to wait until we were free, but the idiot had to do it _now_. Tuck, if you get distracted in a fight because of this, I fully expect that you're gunna be blasted in the gut."

"It doesn't look like that'll be necessary," a pretty, blonde halfa called over her shoulder. "Look, there's an exit up ahead."

"What if it's a trap?" the blonde's companion asked.

She smirked. "Well, you can go first, Jarom."

"Aw, Soph!" he whined, trying to loop an arm through hers.

Sophie batted him away, pointing towards the door and tapping the toe of her boot.

Jarom looked from her to the door and back again. He let out a heavy sigh, and sagged, sniffing pitifully before slouching down the corridor.

"Whipped," one of the halfa boys next to Ella coughed.

Jarom whirled, launching a playful ectoblast at the speaker. "I am not, Peter!"

"Just. Open. The. Door," Sophie hissed, jabbing the teen in the chest.

Jarom gulped, flicking tangled black bangs out of his face before approaching the door once again. He tapped it lightly with the toe of his boot before jumping back, blaster up and ready to fire.

Sophie groaned, elbowed the idiot out of the way and kicking the door off its hinges.

They emerged onto the edge of a parking lot. At the centre stood Neil's and Danny's groups, fighting what looked to be an army of ghosts and agents. Sophie lifted her blaster high into the air, waving it like a beacon and shouting in a language that had Sam and Tucker turning their heads.

"What did you just say?" the Goth demanded, elbowing her way to stand beside the blonde.

Sophie arched a perfect eyebrow. "I was insulting them in ghost," she explained. "It's customary to do so before a battle."

Sam laughed; she couldn't help it. "That explains a hell of a lot," she admitted, charging the blaster and loosing the first shots at the approaching enemies.

...

The would-be escapees were slowly being overwhelmed. The agents were too many, the ghosts too strong. The children were beaten into submission, left bruised and broken on the asphalt, but somehow still alive.

Tucker ducked beneath an agent's baseball bat, looking around frantically for Valerie. He had yet to find her, or the Fenton boys. A blow to his side sent the geek sprawling, and he howled as his ribs were crushed.

Tucker huddled on the ground, throwing up trembling arms in an effort to protect his head. The finishing blow didn't come; instead, his opponent sent Tucker a filthy glare before kicking him in the gut.

"Stay down," the agent advised, stepping over the boy's form as Tucker gasped pathetically for air.

They were going to lose.

Tucker felt the realisation sink into him, and he gave a sigh. _Guess I won't go on that date after all,_ he mused, concentrating on curling up and protecting himself from the battles still being waged.

The sounds had changed, and Tucker blinked in confusion before risking a peek over his protective forearms.

A woman that looked suspiciously like Maddie Fenton led the charge, white hair framing her face in a halo as she launched successive ectoblasts into the melee.

Tucker forced himself to move, gasping as he worked his way onto his feet. By the time he made it there, the bad guys were already defeated by the army of halfas.

"Tucker!" Maddie shrieked, landing in front of the boy and grabbing him by the shoulders. "Were are Danny and Jack?"

"I haven't seen them," the boy ground through teeth gritted in pain. "I think they might still be inside with Valerie – Danny was going to beat up the guy responsible or something. I heard him talking to Sam about it."

Maddie nodded before heading for the door. "Wait!" Tucker called, limping to catch up. "Let me come with you!"

The woman paused, her eyes raking over his battered form. "You're really hurt," she observed, "and… oh, _Tucker_ ," Maddie breathed, moving forwards to trace her finger beneath a glowing teal eye.

Tucker shrugged, unsuccessfully hiding his wince. "They turned us a quarter of a per cent ghost. Please, Mrs Fenton. If you let me come with you, I'll let those halfa healers stick me with whatever needles they want!"

The huntress sighed. "Yes, alright." She held the door open for him, and Tucker slipped through as two other halfas joined them.

He pressed a hand instinctively against his side, gasping at the slight pressure on shattered ribs. Tucker forced himself to take shallow breaths, and when he moved his hand away, he noted that it was covered in blood from a small cut to the inside of his wrist. _Hm, must have gotten it without noticing…_ Tucker frowned, rubbing it against the hem of his shirt before observing the injury again.

Blood welled to the surface, spilling over the edges of the cut within a handful of seconds. The boy bit back a shriek, flapping his good hand slightly and looking up as Maddie placed a hand on his shoulder. "You coming?" she asked, glancing at his injury. "Oh," the woman breathed, and pressed her finger to the cut. Tucker gasped at the burst of cold, but when the light dissipated, nothing was left but a fresh, pink scar.

"Better to have your blood inside your body," Maddie murmured, tugging gently at his wrist. "Come on, let's go."

Tucker smiled tentatively, falling into step with the rest of the halfas as they moved down the corridor.

He couldn't seem to get his mind off the fact that his blood had just contained tiny flecks that glowed a startling green.

...

It didn't take long to find them; all the search party had to do was follow the sobbing, wailing voice, and Danny's intense waves of grief and guilt.

Maddie and Tucker recognised the voice instantly, and both started forwards.

They burst into the room, and all Tucker saw at first was red and green. Maddie stiffened next to him, and then swept the geek into her arms, trying to block his view of the room.

Tucker squirmed in her grasp, gasping as his ribs sent daggers shooting deep into his side. "Maddie, let go!" he exclaimed, attempting to twist away as Danny's wailing continued unchecked.

He must have seen wrong. Tucker was sure of it: his eyes were playing tricks on him.

The geek finally pulled free, turning to face to room again before the huntress could stop him.

There she was, lying on her back and soaked in red with a little bit of green. A form was hunched next to her, and Danny screamed his grief into the tiles smeared with blood and ectoplasm.

Tucker lurched forwards, the pain in his side suddenly gone as numbness swept through him.

"Val?" he whispered, falling to his knees beside the girl and reaching out with a trembling hand.

There was a hole in her chest. A hole that shouldn't be there, _hadn't_ been there when they had all split up half an hour ago.

He brushed a lock of hair away from her face (it was pale far too pale where was the glow that usually filled her cheeks?) and tenderly pressed the tip of his finger to her lips (they were cold far too cold and painted in a red that dribbled from between her lips but red on her mouth didn't suit her it was far too bold).

"Val, w-wake up," he whispered, tracing the curve of her cheek (it fitted perfectly into the palm of his hand but why wouldn't she open her eyes?!) and feeling a helpless sob slip through his lips (she was sleeping but it was cold on the floor and she was dirty and Tucker's head was hurting but Danny just wouldn't stop _screaming!_ ).

Tucker blinked, his vision blurring (damn it she wasn't breathing please God help me why isn't Valerie breathing?!) and he felt tears slip lightly down his cheeks.

"Val, stop it," he choked, leaning over to press his mouth against hers and breathing out (CPR was something they had all learned because Sam was paranoid and he had laughed it off at the time but wasn't it supposed to get people breathing again?!) before moving to place the heels of his hands against her chest. He rocked forwards and back, forwards and back. With each depression, blood welled out of the wound, pooling around Tucker's fingers. Soon his hands were covered, the still-warm liquid causing her clothes to squelch. Tucker began to shake, the tears moving down his face in an almost continuous stream.

"Damn it, Valerie, _breathe!_ " the boy screamed, hunching forwards and sobbing into her hair. "Come on," he spluttered, pressing his lips to hers again and breathing out.

She didn't move, and Tucker sobbed against her skin before kissing the girl tenderly, pulling her limp, bloody form into his arms (she wasn't supposed to taste like this Tucker had hoped to kiss her over some ice cream or maybe a glass of wine she was supposed to taste of life and happiness not this metallic tang of death!).

Danny's howls of grief still rang strong, and Tucker found himself joining in, rocking to and fro as he cradled her soft, broken form in his arms (she's still warm she's still warm she'sstillwarm she could still be alive and I just haven't noticed how faint her breathing is so why aren't those halfas here healing her already?!). " _Valerie, please don't leave me!_ "

...

Maddie shook her head as the boy started CPR on Valerie. It was obvious that the girl was dead, and although it wrenched at her heart, she currently had to attend to the living.

She motioned for her companions to leave Tucker alone, and the woman paused as Cyril knelt beside Jack. "He'll be okay," the healer called over the boys' howling, "just knocked out from electrocution. It won't take long for me to heal."

Maddie started towards her son, flinching at Sebastian's scream as Will removed him from where he was pinned to the wall. "Shhh," the woman soothed the shrieking dragonling, running healing hands over his tattered wings.

The huntress knelt beside Danny, placing a hand on his hunched back. He didn't move, continuing to sob hysterically into the floor, but that touch was all she needed at the moment. The contact showed her where he was hurt, and Maddie slipped her hands around the boy, hauling him gently into her arms.

"No!" Danny screamed, fighting to free himself for a moment before collapsing back into his mother's embrace as she began to whisper soothingly into his ear.

"It's alright, Danny," the woman cooed, running glowing hands over his slashed torso and abdomen.

He melted into her touch, heaving with grieving sobs as Tucker began to scream.

...

The Thalassic Clan agreed to erect a temporary portal in the middle of Amity Park, allowing the townspeople to visit their children in the Clan's hospital.

Damon was at first confused, wondering why he was being led to a different area of the compound. He thought that maybe she wasn't hurt, maybe with all her ghost hunting experience, Valerie had somehow managed to escape unscathed.

They stepped into the morgue, and Damon Gray collapsed onto the tiled floor with a strangled scream.

...

It was the gossip of the town.

Danny Phantom had failed to give a speech at the funeral of Valerie Gray.

His name was in the programme, and the boy had prepared a piece to say. However, on the day, his seat was empty.

Initially, it appeared as though the hero simply wasn't going to turn up. When his name was called, the chapel fell silent. People seemed to hold their breaths, turning towards the aisle at the sound of footfalls.

Nobody was visible.

The disembodied footsteps proceeded through the chapel, mounting steps at the front to halt in the vicinity of the casket.

A sob rang out, and with a sudden clatter that made everyone jump in surprise, the Red Huntress' suit was thrown down the steps to settle on the floor in front of the assembled mourners.

Another sob, a burst of freezing wind, and the invisible ghost boy was gone.

...

Tucker had been allowed to leave the Clan's hospital to attend her funeral. When Danny threw the suit down the stairs, the geek glared at the spot where he knew his best friend stood. The boy left in a similarly theatrical manner, and it was several minutes before the chapel quieted enough for the funeral to continue.

At the graveyard, Danny decided to show off again; as the mourners placed their white lilies on the grave, a wreath of ice-spun roses materialised, their throats frosted a shining white while the tips of the petals remained transparent. Tucker snorted at the display, surreptitiously kicking Danny as his invisible form passed him.

Once back at the hospital, Tucker stomped through to Sam's room. As expected, Danny was there, and the geek promptly dragged his best friend into a storage closet down the hall.

"What is it?" the halfa demanded.

"You had to do it, didn't you? You just _had_ to go in there with the theatrics! Everyone else is hurting as well, you know! You didn't make it any better. Yeah, you're grieving, but so's the rest of the town! What about Damon, or our class, or _me_? Dude, you have no right to behave like you're the only one who's grieving!" Tucker swatted at the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. "Stop acting out and being so selfish, man!"

Danny stood stock still, mouth working soundlessly. "You're yelling," he breathed.

"Of _course_ I'm yelling!" Tucker screamed. "The girl who was one of my best friends just died, and we're supposed to be there for each other, but instead you're so caught up in yourself that you're being a massive dick!"

Danny stiffened. "Tuck-"

"Save it," the geek spat, pushing open the door and strolling back to his room, leaving Danny standing stunned in the closet.

...

"I'm heading off," Kai announced, intercepting Danny as he headed for Tucker's room. "You've gotten pretty good at flying, so there's no need for me to hang around."

"They didn't infuse you with ectoplasm," he observed.

Kailani shook her head, ruffling feathered wings. "Of course not," she said. "Apparently I _belong_ to a different lab, so the Guys in White didn't touch me out of respect for the scientists who apparently own me. They just caught me in the first place because they didn't want me getting in the way."

Danny held out his hand. "No hard feelings about the whole kidnapping thing?"

Kai ignored the hand in favour of punching him in the shoulder. "'Course not, it wasn't your fault. Anyway, I'm gunna get going."

Danny waved as she started down the corridor.

"By the way," Kai called over her shoulder, "Madam Ashray said that she wants you to go see her."

Danny groaned, heading for Tucker's door and sticking his head straight through the wood.

The geek was lying on his bed, fiddling with an iPhone.

The halfa phased through fully, moving to stand beside the bed. Tucker's eyes didn't waver from the phone.

"Look, I'm sorry. I've been a jerk," Danny offered. Tucker snorted, and the hero continued. ""I'm really sorry, Tuck. Can you forgive me?"

The boy set the phone aside. "Sure, man. Just don't get like that again, okay? Death hurts everyone."

Danny nodded, fist-bumping his best friend. "I'll try not to," he promised before heading for the door.

"Hey, where're you going?" Tucker demanded.

"I gotta go see Ashray. I'll be back later, okay?"

"Well, you know where to find me," Tucker sighed, reaching once again for the iPhone.

...

Danny knocked on the door to Madam Ashray's office, shifting from foot to foot. She opened the it, and he bowed at the waist as his mother had taught him, descending in a fluid movement to kneel on the floor.

Asima Ashray waved him inside without speaking, and Danny shuddered at the irrational insecurity that swept over him. He stood in place, trying not to fidget as the woman circled him like a predator.

"Daniel," she growled, "how dare you? Your foolish actions put everyone in your party in danger, and could have resulted in a far greater toll than what was actually paid. If you had simply waited, we would have helped. They kidnapped your sister – if you had _waited_ , the clan would have helped you to save them.

" _Never_ use the clan for your personal vendettas without going through me first! Do I make myself clear, Phantom?"

Danny gulped, nodding his head. His throat burned with held-back tears, but somehow the boy managed a "Yes, Ma'am" without allowing them to break free.

"As for your humans, they are now contaminated with ectoplasm. Our clan will officially adopt them, and they will benefit from all of the privileges that our hereditary members benefit from.

"Now, you are dismissed. If you _ever_ use the clan that way again, be prepared to answer to me. I will not be so lenient next time."

Danny bowed and fled.

...

Grand Master Farrar breathed out slowly, locking the doors behind his final students as they left the building for the night. The last class of the day had been fairly hectic, as his newest black belts had received the beatings of their lives in brutal sparring matches; it was the traditional initiation for fresh black belt students, and this annual session left him exhausted from the additional stress. After all, he had just spent the last hour stressing out and ensuring that the newbies didn't get too roughed up, just soundly beaten.

Taking a swig of water, Farrar adjusted his belt with one hand, absently straightening his uniform. All he had to do now was quickly check the taekwondo centre for anything that was out of place, and then he could go home to bed. He slipped behind the administration desk, bare feet light on the carpet as the man closed down the computers. The grand master sighed in relief, rolling his shoulders to relieve built up tension.

A chill swept through the room, and the man looked up, trying his best to appear unruffled as Danny Phantom flickered into visibility in the space before the counter.

"Grand Master Farrar," the ghost boy greeted in a soft voice, giving a slight bow out of a blend of politeness and ingrained habit.

Farrar smiled. "It's been a little while, Danny. Good to see that you've been using your training, hm?"

The boy straightened himself up, rings snapping into place around his waist and sliding over a lanky body; hazmat turned into a white taekwondo uniform that was far too short in the sleeves and legs, and obviously tight around the shoulders. He had grown since he quit the programme, and the grand master wagered that the seventeen year old would now be almost as tall as his father. "Yeah, it's really good for fighting ghosts," Danny admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck. He gave the man a sidelong glance, as if trying to gauge his reaction to the transformation.

Farrar waved a dismissive hand. "I knew you were Phantom as soon as the cameras started following you," he said. "I'd recognise that sloppy hook kick anywhere."

The teen smirked. "Well, you can't say that I haven't been practising."

"No, I guess not." The man took another swing from his bottle before regarding the hero thoughtfully. "What are you here for, Danny?"

The boy shrugged. "I need someone to spar with," he confessed.

"Why?"

Danny huffed. "None of the ghosts'll dare right now; apparently there's an automatic truce for the first month of grieving. They're not allowed to attack me, or to pick fights in my haunt, which happens to be the living world. If I try to engage them, they just fly away!"

"You feel as though you need to fight." Farrar tilted his head. "Why?"

Danny began to pace, rubbing at cerulean eyes. "I just need to," he confessed weakly. "Every time something goes wrong, it helps if I spar with someone. But right now, nobody'll fight me!"

Oh.

This was about Valerie.

"I've got a spare uniform that'll fit you better," the grand master offered.

Danny nodded gratefully. "Thanks."

He accepted the clothing with another small bow, the habit ingrained by almost ten years of training at the centre. Grand Master Maddie Fenton had insisted that both of her children practise the martial art until they started high school, and Daniel had achieved the second dan on his black belt before quitting just after he turned fourteen. He had claimed that he was too busy, and if the daily ghost attacks were anything to go by, Farrar didn't blame the boy.

Once Danny was changed, the two men proceeded onto the blue-and-red training mats. Farrar motioned towards the wall, where protective equipment hung on hooks next to the target mitts.

Danny adjusted his belt before selecting a padded body guard, strapping it around himself as his master did likewise. He then strapped guards over his shins and forearms, and fitted a padded helmet onto his head, sliding a mouthguard between his lips.

They faced each other in the middle of the room, feet together and hands by their sides. A deep bow, and the fighters adopted a ready stance at Farrar's command. Another shout from the grand master, and they launched into battle.

Danny was better than Farrar remembered. The halfa was strong, and light on his feet. He also fought fairly – not once in their match did he use his ghost powers to phase through a kick or punch, and was thus soundly beaten by the more experienced man.

The fight lasted for several minutes, and ended with an elbow strike to Danny's gut, followed up by a quick kick to his head. The boy went down like a stone, but unlike the previous two times that he had been sent to the floor, did not attempt to return to his feet within the ten second limit.

Farrar crouched beside his former student.

"Did I kick you too hard?"

Danny shook his head, a smile evident through the mouthguard. He sat up gingerly, removing the moulded plastic from his mouth. "Nah, that was fantastic!"

Farrar smiled, straightening and offering the teen a hand up. Danny allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, beginning to loosen the straps that fastened the guards to his arms. "Thanks for that," he said, hanging the protective equipment from their hooks.

"You're welcome," the grand master responded. "You got in a few good hits, by the way. That hammer fist coupled with a side kick will definitely leave some bruises."

Danny sighed. "Thank you," he mumbled, swiping the sleeve of his uniform across a sweaty forehead. The halfa winced, pulling back the sleeve to observe his forearm. Even with the guard's protection, bruises were beginning to bloom across his pale skin. Farrar wagered that the teen would be covered in them within the hour.

The older man chuckled, slapping Danny between his shoulder blades. "Come here if you ever want to spar, okay?"

"I'll keep that in mind." The halfa bowed before stepping off the mats. "I'll wash the uniform and return it tomorrow," he offered.

Farrar inclined his head. "Thank you, that would be appreciated. Don't forget to take home your old uniform!"

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "Why? Keep it, and give it to some kid who's outgrowing theirs."

Grand Master Farrar offered the boy his bottle of water, and Danny gratefully accepted, taking a swallow. "You're a good kid," the man told him.

The life seemed to seep out of the ghost child, his shoulders slumping. "No, I'm really not," he whispered.

"From what I've heard, it wasn't your fault. Blame the creature behind it all and move on. I know that it might sound impossible right now, but you need to forgive yourself. Valerie wouldn't want you to feel guilty."

"How would you know what she'd want?" the boy spat, handing back the bottle.

Farrar blinked. "She trained here every week since she was eleven, even when their finances became strained. It was her passion. You wouldn't have seen her here, since she only got her black belt a few months after you quit."

The hero stilled. "She trained here?" he whispered. At the master's inclined head, Danny let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, I think I'll come back every now and again. She would have liked that."

Farrar placed a hand on Danny's shoulder. "I think she would have liked it a lot."


	26. Jargogle

Danny shut the door of his lair behind him, leaning against it with a sigh. A blank white space without any visible walls or other restraints stretched out before him, and the halfa hovered in the middle of it, eyes closed and hands loose by his sides.

He frowned in concentration, and energy began to drain from his core at a steady rate. The halfa kept his eyes closed, focusing on the mental image of what he wanted. After about a minute, the power flow lessened, and then shut off altogether.

Danny yawned at the sudden wave of lethargy, opening his eyes to gaze about.

He floated in the first room of his lair, a living area with a depression in the middle filled by a black leather couch that was scattered with cushions. On the wall was mounted a huge television, complete with gaming consoles and surround sound. Movie posters covered this feature wall, and Danny smiled, touching his boots to the soft grey carpet.

He moved towards the hallway, smile growing wider as he surveyed each room. They were all exactly as he had imagined them; the kitchen that opened up onto an expansive dining room; the bedrooms with their adjoining bathrooms; the training area containing everything from weights to a swimming pool. Everything was a blend of black, white, and soft greys, with the walls painted a calming light grey.

Sighing, the teen flopped down on one of the loveseats in the library. This was exactly as he had imagined, and the drain on his power was completely worth it. He closed his eyes, relaxing into the cushions with a groan. _I made my own lair…_ A chuckle bubbled in his chest, and Danny tilted his head back, letting loose a hearty laugh. "I made my own lair!" he exclaimed, lurching to his feet and spinning giddily.

The teen turned human, phasing off his shoes to land barefoot. The dark grey carpet was as soft as a blanket, and Danny wriggled his toes at the feeling. He threw himself down, rolling on the unbelievably soft surface and laughing hysterically.

Settling to lie on his back, the halfa wriggled delightedly. He briefly debated exploring the place further, but decided against it for the time being; after all, everything was exactly how he had imagined it.

Danny sighed contentedly, running his fingers over the surface and wriggling his toes again. This just felt so _right_ – now that he had a lair to call his own, the hero could finally admit to himself that he belonged somewhere. This was something that he had not been sure of since the accident, but now, Danny had a place where he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was welcome. He squirmed into a more comfortable position, grinning like a lunatic.

He wasn't a freak. He _belonged_ somewhere. He was fine just the way he was, and Danny felt an almost tangible burden dissolve as he accepted that Spectra had always been wrong.

For the first time since the accident, the teen finally felt comfortable with his hybrid status.

Lurching to his feet, Danny grabbed his shoes and tucked them under his arm. He walked down the carpeted hallway, humming to himself as he entered his bedroom.

The room was everything he could have wanted. Once again decorated in a blend of white, black, and greys, the space was huge. It contained a display case for whatever he chose in one corner, a handful of beanbags in the other, and in between the two were doors leading to a walk-in wardrobe and an elegant bathroom.

Danny ignored this for the time being, heading straight for the massive bed that was pressed lengthwise against the opposite wall. He rubbed at his eyes with a yawn, placing his shoes on the floor and settling into the blankets with a contented sigh.

It just felt so _perfect_ , and the exhausted teen slipped into sleep with a smile still touching his lips.

Danny rolled over, mumbling as something vibrated against his hip. He reached beneath the covers, working his buzzing phone free from his pocket without opening his eyes. Not bothering to check the caller ID, the teen pressed its surface until his finger hit the answer button.

"Mmmm?" the boy slurred into what he hoped was the microphone end of his phone.

" _Danny, where are you? Are you hurt?!_ "

The boy mumbled incoherently, shifting under the heavy blanket before managing to generate a coherent response. "'M fine, Mum. Just sleepin'."

" _Where are you?_ " She sounded different, and Danny belatedly realised that the panic from her initial questions had disappeared.

"I'm…" The boy frowned, shifting again in the unfamiliar bed. Where _was_ he? Cracking his eyes open, Danny felt a smile creep over his face as his memories worked their way through his sleep-hazed mind. "I'm in my lair."

A sigh filtered through the speakers. " _ **Tell**_ _me when you go running off like that, okay?_ "

The teen frowned. "It's gunna take a bit to adjust," he confessed. "I'm used to coming and going while trying to keep everything a secret, remember?"

" _So long as you try,_ " the woman insisted.

"Alright, I'll try to let you know more often," Danny groaned, rolling onto his side.

" _Anyway, I'm not calling about that._ "

"Didn't think you would be," Danny interrupted.

" _Yes,_ _ **well,**_ _you need to go pick up Sebastian from James._ "

The boy snapped into full wakefulness. "He's finally better?!"

" _Yeah, James called just now and said that you should go soon. He'll wait for you for about half an hour before he has to go pick up his son from training._ "

"Yeah, I'll go now," the boy promised. "Thanks, Mum! I'll see you at home?"

" _See you later,_ " the woman confirmed, hanging up.

Danny shoved his phone back into the pocket of his jeans before sitting up. Interlocking his fingers, the ghost boy reached above his head, twisting from side to side. His spine re-aligned with a series of pops, and Danny groaned at the feeling. Dropping his hands, he slipped out of bed and quickly made it before pulling on his shoes and shifting into ghost form.

Teleporting to the foyer space, Danny left his lair through the front door and flew in the direction of the place where he had first met James. He waved at Neil upon spotting the boy on the way, but didn't stop to converse; at the moment, Sebastian was Danny's priority.

Wilhelmina had concluded that the damage to the baby was too difficult for most healers to fix, due to the fragile nature of Sebastian's wings. The dragon had been taken to James, one of the only qualified veterinary healers in the area. Danny had found over the past week that the absence of his companion had left him in a sour mood, and he often woke in the night to reach for a dragonling that wasn't there.

Reaching the correct door, Danny let himself in. "James?" he called upon noticing that the desk was unattended. The man appeared from the back room a moment later, cradling in his hands a squirming white-and-blue creature.

Danny grinned, forgetting everything else as he reached for his companion. Sebastian leaped out of the vet's hold, clinging to the front of Danny's shirt and fanning his wings with a delighted trill.

"I missed you too, Buddy," Danny chuckled, gently kneading the nubs on Sebastian's skull that would one day become horns.

His smile faltered at the scars that roped across the membranes of the tiny creature's wings. "He's healed, right?" the teen whispered, shooting a glance at his great-uncle.

James inclined his head. "Yes, but you know how injuries work. Those scars'll fade with time, but when bad weather makes yours ache, you can guarantee that his'll be sore as well."

Danny blinked back sudden tears. "Thank you," he choked. "I don't know what I'd do if Sebby was disfigured because of that fight, or if he… if…" the boy broke off, gulping. His hands, which here still resting on the dragon's body, began to tremble.

James clapped his hand against the younger halfa's shoulder. "How're your own wings after that mishap earlier this week?"

Danny dislodged Sebastian from his shirt, lifting the baby to tuck him into his customary perch at the crook of the boy's neck. "They're fine," he admitted, turning the appendages visible and extending them for the man to run expert fingers over. "The bones have healed properly, thank goodness." He flinched inwardly at the memory; with wings being something that most healers had never been trained to deal with, Danny had been forced to rely on James to treat them for him. At the time, however, Sebastian had been asleep thanks to healing medication, and it was decided that it would be unwise to wake the creature. Besides, Danny had been too worked up over dealing with needles and stitches to really care about anything else…

"Hmm," the man grumbled, touching his fingers to Danny's own scarred membrane. "Be more careful when training with your Reaper friend next time."

"Oh, don't worry, I will," Danny promised, reaching up to fondle Sebastian. Now that they had been reunited, the halfa found that he had to keep touching the dragon, if only to reassure the two of them that they were together again and that it wasn't just some sort of dream.

A spike of pain drove itself into his skull, and Danny yelped involuntarily, pressing the heels of his palms against his forehead. His vision turned black, and the next thing the teen knew, he was sitting on the floor as James rubbed his back. "Take it easy," the man advised, moving his hand in slow, gentle circles. "Just let it happen, Danny. Sebastian says that he's been trying to reach you for a while now, but your powers were bound, making telepathy impossible."

" _Telepathy?_ " the teen ground out, gasping at another stab of pain.

"He wouldn't try unless he sensed that you were ready," James insisted. "It's painful when you first use it on your own, but it gets easier."

The teen could barely nod, let alone speak as the spike in his skull drove even deeper. He simply sat there and clutched at his head, breathing in short gasps as James continued to whisper soothingly.

An expression of relief that most certainly wasn't his own registered in Danny's mind, and he sighed as the pain began to ebb. _You're rather difficult to contact, you know._

Danny jolted at the unfamiliar voice; it wasn't a sound that seemed to originate from anywhere, but rather buzzed in the atmosphere around him. However, he knew immediately that he was the only one who could hear it. Danny dimly registered that the statement had been in Ghost, and projected a thought outward in the same language. _It's not like I was asking to be contacted,_ he huffed mentally. This unknown presence had caused him to tense, and Danny glanced around the room in confusion. _Where are you? Who are you?_

 _Calm down, it's_ _ **me!**_ the telepathic voice exclaimed in exasperation as Sebastian fanned his wings and let out a squawk.

Danny stilled. _Sebastian?_

 _Who else?_ The dragon settled into place again now that he had his companion's attention, excitement seeping across their mental link. _You really can be clueless sometimes._

"Oh, not you, too," the boy groaned out loud, still in Ghost.

James chuckled at this. "Well, it seems like you two have set that up fine," he announced, getting to his feet.

Danny followed suit, flashing his relative a grin and slipping back into English to mirror the man's speech. "Thank you, James. I… _We_ really appreciate it."

James waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense. Go on, get going, you rascals."

Danny moved towards the door as it was opened for him, surprising his great-uncle by throwing his arms around the man in an unexpected hug. "I know you won't accept payment, but really, _thank you,_ " Danny whispered, pulling away and extending his hand palm-up. "Here's the customary payment for a healing."

James stepped backwards as the teen summoned an orb of green energy. "No, Danny, I can't take that."

"Well, I'll just leave it here, than," the young man insisted, placing the now-stable orb on the administration desk. "Then you can use it to take care of the other animals or something."

James smiled. "Well, if it's for the animals, I guess I can't refuse…"

"Damn right you can't!" Danny exclaimed, moving to the door again. "See you later, James!"

"See you," the man called, shaking his head bemusedly as his great-nephew disappeared into the Ghost Zone.

…

Danny slipped through the open Fenton portal, treading lightly across the lab floor. His father, snoozing at one of the benches, simply let out a rattling snore. Grinning, Danny retrieved one of the emergency blankets from within the Speeder, throwing it around Jack's shoulders.

He closed the portal and moved up the stairs, whistling to himself. Sebastian crouched quietly on Danny's shoulder, preening the halfa's hair and sending flashes of thought through their mental link every now and then.

Danny headed for the kitchen, smiling when he caught sight of Danielle at the table. "Hey," he greeted, ruffling her hair.

"Oi!" the girl exclaimed, fixing her ruined ponytail with a few deft movements. Danny chuckled, moving over to the stove.

"Mmm, what's this?" he queried, lifting the pot's lid and inhaling the sweet aroma of lamb stew.

"Dinner," Maddie called from the direction of the living room, "and if you eat any now, all you'll get is plain buttered toast."

The ghost boy chuckled, replacing the lid and stepping away from the stove. "Hey, Ella, what you got there?"

Danielle grinned, moving her hands to reveal the glowing ball of white feathers cradled in her hands. "This is Ajax," she chirped, extending a finger and gently using its tip to nudge at the tiny bundle in the palm of her hand.

Danny smiled, tapping his knuckles against the table. The little ball of feathers jolted before uncurling to reveal a pygmy owl, opening a tiny beak to let loose a faint chirrup. "He can't fly yet," Ella informed her brother.

"I think I gathered that from how small he is," Danny responded, "and he's still got a bit of baby fluff."

The girl smiled in response, eyes shifting to Danny's shoulder. "It's good to see Sebastian back with you. How're yours and his wings?"

"We're both healed fully," the boy responded, automatically reaching up to rub the little, hard nubs on the top of his companion's head. "What're you reading, by the way?"

Danielle flushed. "Well, I wanted to make cookies, but I don't know how to cook, and Mum's recipe book isn't exactly helpful…"

"Of course it isn't," the hero laughed. "For starters, that recipe asks for a 'decent amount' of flour! Here, come and put this apron on and I'll teach you how to make some killer chocolate chip cookies."

"Who'd you learn the recipe from?" she asked, tucking Ajax into a little wool-lined pouch that hung around her neck.

"Surprisingly, it was Tucker. Cookies are the only thing he can cook besides meat."

"Seriously?" Ella quirked an eyebrow as she looped the apron's straps around her back, tying them deftly.

Danny nodded, fetching the ingredients and directing Ella to find the correct bowl and utensils. "Alright," he announced, stepping back from the bench. "I'll tell you what to do for each ingredient, and you do it while I go grease the baking trays.

"What?!"

"You'll be fine!" he reassured her. "And besides, if you somehow manage to mess it up a bit, Dad'll scoff 'em all anyway."

The girl giggled as she washed her hands. "True, true. Anyway, where've you been today, besides fetching Sebastian?"

Danny snagged the butter from the fridge, using a serviette to scoop out a chunk with which to grease one of the trays. "Oh, I went and made my lair this morning after visiting Sam and Tuck – they're a bit bored since their parents are keeping them at home in bed. Making the lair was really exhausting, though, and I collapsed straight away."

Scrunching her forehead in concentration, Danielle sifted the flour into the mixing bowl, taking care not to spill any. _Hey, could I have some chocolate chips before she puts them in?_

Danny smirked, responding to his dragon easily. _Sure._ Scoping a handful out of the open packet, he set them down on a clear space of bench. _Just be careful that you don't move backwards, or you'll end up sitting in the tray that I've just finished greasing._

 _Talk to Ella,_ the dragonling advised. _I think something's wrong._

_I can't talk to her about that!_

_You're her brother!_

_She can talk to Mum about it._

_Your Mum didn't know that Valerie girl like you two did. Danny, it has to be you._

The ghost boy huffed. _Alright, but only if you teach me your landing technique later._

A strange snorting sound issued from the dragon's snout, and he busied himself with his chocolate.

"Was Sebastian just choking?" Ella gasped.

Danny shook his head. "Nah, he was laughing at me."

"You're speaking in ghost," she remarked off-handedly, stirring the dry ingredients into the mixture of milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla essence.

The boy grimaced. "Yeah, that's Sebby's preferred language when we talk, since speaking in ghost relies as much on sensing emotion as the actual words."

"You two can talk telepathically?!"

"Well, yeah. It took a while to develop, and we're still learning how it works…"

"That's really cool," the girl responded. "By the way, this is a huge amount of cookie dough that we're making."

"Well, Dad'll eat a whole batch to himself, and I'm getting you to make a triple batch so you'll have some to take to school and share with your new friends. I'll also take some to Damon, since I think he could really use a bit of love right now."

Ella stiffened, her fingers halting in their kneading. "I've gone to his place a couple of times," she confessed. "I've done his dishes and laundry, and even cooked him dinner, but he doesn't notice me!"

"We'll go together," Danny promised. "He can't ignore both of us."

"Hmmm," she sighed.

Danny sent her a sidelong glance. "Are you okay?"

Ella shrugged as a tear slipped down her cheek. "She was my best friend," the girl whispered. "Val would meet up with me whenever I was in town, and we'd share ghost hunting stories and hot chocolates."

The young man sighed, swiping the back of his hand over his forehead. "Well, why don't we take some of these cookies to her as well?"

"She's gone," Ella snapped, leaning forwards so that her bangs fell across her face. "It's no use."

"She's not a ghost," the boy confirmed as he leaned against the counter, "but Grim told me that a lot of souls are still given the opportunity to keep an eye on the people they love."

The girl sniffed. "Thanks, Danny. I think I _will_ take some of these to her grave after all."

"Good to know." Moving closer, Danny reached towards the thoroughly-kneaded cookie dough. "Alright, let me show you how to make them the perfect size…"

…

"Oi!" Danny shouted, snapping his fingers in front of the unresponsive man's face. "We've cleaned your house, made you dinner, and even brought you fresh cookies. Aren't you gunna acknowledge our existence?"

"Danny!" Ella gasped, rushing forwards and trying to tug her brother away.

The young man phased out of her grasp, leaning over Damon as he remained slumped on the couch. "Mr Gray, please talk to us."

Damon blinked, tilting his head to stare up at the two intruders. "Daniel and Danielle," he rasped, face draining as he sat up straight.

Danny clapped a hand to the man's shoulder. "Come and eat dinner before it gets cold," he advised, tugging the grieving father to his feet and leading him to the dining room.

Damon sat heavily, picking up his fork and staring at it as though it was the most extraordinary thing in existence. "What are you two doing here?"

"Ella's been coming for the last few days," Danny offered. "We're worried about you, Mr Gray! Besides, Ella made heaps of cookies, so she wanted you to come along and take them to Val's grave after dinner."

"Did she say anything?"

The hero froze, hands curling around the edge of the table. "What?"

"Did Valerie say anything as she…" His cheeks were wet with tears, drops flicking from the man's eyelashes to spot his glasses.

Danny chewed on his lower lip. "Um, not really. It all happened so fast… I-I was fighting Walker, and he was coming in with the hit that would've finished me. Val fought him off while I was dazed, but he… She just…" Danny swallowed thickly, feeling a sob swell in his chest. "I-I tried to heal her, but it was too late."

Damon got shakily to his feet, enfolding the trembling young man in strong arms. "Thank you," he whispered.

Danny tugged out of the embrace. "No, _don't_ thank me!" he screamed as the tears finally broke free. "If I'd just made her stay with the others, she'd be-"

"Then you'd be dead," the man concluded, pulling Danny close again. "Valerie was a good girl, but she was stubborn. I doubt you could have stopped her."

"No, I suppose not," the hero responded with a watery chuckle.

Danielle sat on the edge of the table, idly swinging her legs. "What're you going to do now, Damon?"

Danny frowned at his sister's informal address, but the man in question smiled at the girl with a great degree of affection. The boy shook it off, reasoning that these two would be fairly familiar with each other thanks to Danielle's friendship with Valerie.

"I'm going to keep my job," Damon announced, snagging a cookie from the platter. He visibly steeled himself, sniffing as fresh tears trickled down his cheeks before continuing, "and I'm going to join a martial arts group or something so I can meet new people. She would have wanted that."

Danny clasped the man's shoulder, gut twisting as he recalled his own conversation with Grand Master Farrar. "I think she would have wanted that very much."

…

Danny sat on the edge of the roof of the town hall. Sebastian perched beside him, and the boy and his dragon relaxed, enjoying the evening's gentle breeze and each other's company.

The dragonling was preening, cleaning his one extended wing and admiring how it glittered in the lamplight. Danny watched in amusement before rolling his shoulders with a frown. Extending one of his own wings, the halfa tilted it so that the glossy scales caught the light. He frowned, using a fingernail to gently scrape a little bit of dirt out from underneath one of the scales.

"You two look ridiculous."

Danny jolted, swinging his head around to glare playfully at Sam. "Would you prefer it if I let my wings stay dirty?" he responded as she carefully sat beside him, dangling her legs over the edge of the building.

"Up here, just like a bird?"

He shrugged. "Sebby was teaching me some flying tricks, and I guess that we got a little tired. How'd you get up here, anyway?"

Smirking, the girl kicked her legs idly. "I got Tucker to build hover boards into the soles of our shoes. He's gunna give you yours tomorrow."

Danny whistled, looping his tail loosely around her hips. "He's even better at tech than I thought. Mum and Dad might even want him to work for them!"

The girl stiffened. "Tucker's going to study a Bachelor of Engineering and Information Technology at Wisconsin – he's met all the prerequisites, and his marks are so good that so long as he manages to pass the final exams at school, he'll have a scholarship in the course."

Danny's eyebrows disappeared beneath his fringe. "That's fantastic! When'd you guys find that out?"

"While you were away with your Mum," she sighed.

Danny spread the wing on the side that she was pressed against, folding it around his girlfriend as she shivered in a chilly wind that only felt soothing to him. "So, have you figured out your future?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. That's why I came to find you – enrolment for universities closes tomorrow."

"So, what're you doing?"

Sam stared at the square below them, watching as people hurried in every direction as the offices closed for the night. "I'm going to be studying paranormal science, and I'm gunna be the best person in the entire course. At the end of my first year, I'll have performed so well that I'll definitely qualify for a double degree in law and paranormal science!"

"Whoa, Sam, that's fantastic!" Inside, Danny felt like he was going to scream. "Where are you studying that?"

"Um, I'm going to Harvard, actually." His silence seemed to unnerve her, and the girl began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt. "Have you decided what you want to do? Because… I want you to go to university. I know you'll never leave Amity Park, so I'd never ask you to come with me, but you need to continue your education!"

Blinking back the sudden onslaught of tears, the halfa took several deep breaths. "So, you're leaving me." His voice was dead, and Sam shuddered as tingles slipped down her back.

"We'll make it work," she promised. "What I'm going to be doing takes a lot of work, so even if I was in town, I wouldn't really see you much unless we lived in the same house or something."

"What if we did live in the same house?"

Sam froze at his whisper. "What are you asking me?" she demanded.

"I don't know. It just seems too much… How can we be together if we're so far away?"

Sam sighed. "I don't like it either, but if you're studying as well, we can both work hard and look forwards too seeing each other each summer."

"Sam, I love you. Stay with me, please?"

She stiffened. "We're teenagers," the girl snapped. "We won't get anywhere without an education, and I'd expect you to understand that I'm leaving so we don't distract each other."

"You're being unreasonable," he choked. "Don't you love me, too?"

The young woman pulled away and got to her feet. "Daniel James Fenton, _you're_ the one who's being unreasonable. Why am I the _only_ one who has to be mature around here?! You need to figure out your life, and I need to get on with mine."

Her words stung like he'd been shot with the barnacles again, forcing the breath out of Danny's body and sending a tear trickling down his cheek. "Well, I guess I'm ahead of you already," he countered, keeping his voice as cold as possible, "since I've at least learned not to try to manipulate others into making the life decisions that I want them to make."

Without so much as a goodbye, the teen scooped the dragon into his arms and leaped into the air, teleporting away before he could hit the pavement.

…

_That was a little harsh._

Danny sighed at Sebastian's comment. _I know, but Tucker and I have really tried to get better at relationships and stuff for a while now, but she's just the same as ever._

 _Still, you should go and apologise._ The dragonling clambered to drape around Danny's neck, holding on tightly as the halfa swooped through the sky.

 _I will tomorrow,_ Danny promised as he angled himself to fly higher.

_I thought you wanted that conversation to go in a completely different direction. You had the ring ready and everything!_

The young man sighed, switching from ghost powers to using his wings to fly. _Things with Sam often turn out unexpected. Have I told you about the time she got turned into a vengeful, massive dragon intent on tearing off Paulina's head?_

Sebastian snorted in amusement, adjusting his grasp on his companion's clothing. _First, where're we going?_

_There's something that I need to do. We'll be home by dawn._

_Fine with me,_ Sebastian responded. _Now, what was this about Sam becoming an evil dragon?_

…

Star bit her lower lip in concentration, brows furrowing slightly as she applied a perfect stroke of tangerine polish to her pinkie toenail. Satisfied, she stretched out the completed foot, propping it on top of a cushion to dry as she began to apply a sparkly topcoat to her orange fingernails. Paulina's constant chatter wafted through the half-open bathroom door, detailing the prom dress that the school's most popular girl had seen in some virtually unknown boutique. Star had already heard the description twice, and seen a picture five times, but she didn't mind – the conversation required no effort on her part, leaving her mind free to wander.

"Okay, I am going to get out of the shower now, so don't let anyone in!"

"There's nobody else here," Star reminded her friend before tapping the screen of her iPhone. Music filled the room, and Star sighed in relief as she settled back against the pillows, dipping the brush into the bottle before running it expertly across her thumbnail in one clean stroke.

A knock on the door startled her, and Star jumped, the glittery varnish streaking across her cuticle and over the first joint of her finger. "Come in!" she called, waving her hand through the air so that the mess would dry – it was easier to clean off that way.

The door opened slowly, a familiar head peeking around its edge. "Um, your dad let me in," Sam explained. "Do you have a few minutes?"

Star stared at the unexpected guest. "Sure," she responded, gesturing to the recliner beneath her window. "Um, sit down… Oh, Paulina, don't come out without getting dressed first – we have a guest!" the hostess shouted.

An affirmative noise drifted from the en suite bathroom before Paulina returned to singing along to the music.

"What can I do for you?" Star asked, not unkindly.

Sam fisted her hands in her lap, shoulders creeping towards her ears. "I need girl talk," she confessed in a voice that barely carried over the music. "We were friends before I met Tucker and Danny, so I was hoping…"

"No problem!" Star chirped. "Spill, girl. There's no judging when we girl talk in our bedrooms."

The Goth smiled weakly. "Yeah, I was hoping you still had that rule. Can I trust you to be completely honest with me, though, even if it might hurt me?"

"Oh, you can count on us," Paulina called. She leaned against the doorframe, her well-endowed breasts barely covered by a fluffy white towel. "We might have our differences, but once in one of our bedrooms, all of that goes out the window. No shame, girl."

Sam nodded, fighting back her discomfort and obvious embarrassment. "I had a fight with Danny," she blurted.

Paulina raised a perfect eyebrow, stepping into the walk-in wardrobe only to emerge a moment later in nothing but mini-shorts and a tank top. "Don't you guys fight a lot?"

The Goth shrugged. "Well, we tend to disagree about things every now and then, but that's normal – after all, we've been dating for a couple of years now. Danny always backs off quickly, though, and we compromise about a lot of things."

Star nodded. "Yeah, you guys really seem to have it worked out. What was the fight about?"

"Well, I was telling him about my university applications, and told him that he should hurry up and get into a course as well. He got upset, and told me that I was manipulative, and that I should be working to grow out of it! Then he flew off before we could sort things out!"

Clicking her tongue, Star passed a bottle of teal polish to Paulina as the beauty queen sat on the bed beside her. "Well…"

"Go on," Sam urged the blonde girl. "Tell me honestly, and whatever you say, I'll consider."

"You should listen to him," Star advised, blowing a stray wisp of hair away from her face. Paulina set aside the unopened bottle of varnish, moving to braid her friend's hair as the young woman continued. "Danny's kinda right. I mean, he used to judge people really easily, but now it's obvious that he waits to know as much as possible first, and then he still gives them heaps of chances. Tucker's stopped being such a know-it-all in casual conversation, and he doesn't hit on every girl he sees anymore. But you've always been manipulative, and you haven't grown out of it.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but it's the truth – you have a set of ideals, and you try as hard as you can to get people to see things the way that you do. Your ideals aren't a bad thing, but forcing people to either adopt them or condemning them if they don't is."

"Yeah," Paulina agreed. "I mean, we've pretty much stopped teasing people about their style of clothes, but until just now you've still treated us like we're shallow just because we like to follow the main fashion trends. We're not hurting you, and we can still have meaningful conversations about all sorts of things! Besides, you also follow fashion, just a different type."

The Goth took a deep breath as their words pierced her. "He said he loved me, and something about living in the same house…" she realised, the conversation coming back to her in full now that she had her emotions under control.

Star nodded. "See? He was trying to tell you something, but it looks like you wouldn't listen because you were so determined to get him to see things the way that you were seeing them. It'll be hard to change, but you've always been strong – you can use this as an opportunity to grow."

"Yeah," Sam responded, "I think I will. Thanks, guys, I'm gunna go and find Danny!" she leaped to her feet, grinning at the two girls.

"Why don't you come around again sometime?" Star suggested.

"Yeah!" Paulina exclaimed, finally beginning to paint her nails. "It isn't good for a girl to be around guys all the time. We can watch movies or something!"

Sam tilted her head with a slight smirk. "Well, now that you mention it, _my_ place would probably be best for that…"

...

_Aren't you going to help me?!_

Sebastian perched on a branch of the chandelier, snorting. _Nope. This was your idea, now you have to figure it out._

 _Some help you are,_ Danny grumbled as he made another dive for the mangy clump of white fur that streaked past him.

Claws unsheathed, the cat let out an indignant yowl and launched herself at Danny. She gouged parallel scratches into his leg through shredded jeans before darting beneath the dresser, glaring from the shadows with yellow eyes and a drawn-out hiss. "C'mon, Maddie," the halfa coaxed, kneeling in front of the drawers. "Why don't I take you home with me?"

The cat in question swiped at his outstretched hand, leaving bloody furrows in the teen's flesh.

Danny pulled back with a yelp, cradling the injured appendage against his chest.

 _It looks like she's been living off vermin,_ Sebastian observed. _Maybe if you go find some cat food in the pantry she'll warm up to you. Also, I think talking in Ghost scared her just then._

The halfa sighed and straightened up, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. "Okay, okay, okay," he muttered, shifting to ghost form. The cat stilled at this, peering out from her sanctuary beneath the drawers. Danny raised an eyebrow at this new behaviour. _Hey, d'you think she's used to seeing me in ghost form?_

_Probably. Didn't you have a couple of prank wars with Vlad?_

_How do you know about that?_ The teen demanded as he knelt again, reaching slowly towards the abandoned cat.

 _You talk in your sleep,_ the dragon reminded him, _and when we made that connection earlier I was privy to quite a few of your memories._

_You mean that was what the pain was._

_A bit of it, yeah._

Danny shot his companion a playful glare as Maddie gave a quizzical meow. Sniffing the air tentatively, the cat inched forwards until half of her body was out in the open. Danny kept his hand as still as he could, and after a lengthy inspection of the appendage, Maddie rubbed her head against his palm. Moving completely out from under the dresser, she settled beside Danny's hand, butting her head against it.

The halfa grinned as the cat begged to be petted. _She's skin and bones,_ he observed, scratching beneath her chin when Maddie daintily lifted her head.

Sebastian jumped into the air, snapping open his wings to glide gently onto Danny's shoulder. Maddie started at this, warily observing the dragon as he began to preen Danny's hair. _Shall we go feed her?_

 _Yeah,_ Danny responded. Lifting the cat into his arms, the halfa smiled as she settled against his chest with a purr. "C'mon," he crooned, "let's get you some food."

...

Danny's phone was out of range. Sam huffed, calling Danielle instead. "Hey, Ella," she greeted when the girl picked up.

" _Hi, Sam. It's a bit late…"_

"Yeah, sorry about that. Do you know where Danny is?"

" _Nope. Earlier today he mentioned something about his lair, so why don't you go check that out?"_

"Thanks, I'll do that."

" _Hey, you got a ring for him yet?"_

Sam frowned. "What ring?"

" _Well, it's halfa custom – both the guy and the girl wear engagement rings. Danny was up all night last night making one for you. I thought he was proposing to you over dinner a couple of hours ago?"_

She stiffened, Danny's behaviour suddenly making a jarring amount of sense. "N-no, my parents insisted that I stay home and have a family dinner with them tonight…"

" _Oh, no!"_ Ella exclaimed. _"Well, please at least act surprised when he does pop the question!"_

"I will," Sam promised. "Good night, Ella."

" _G'night,"_ the halfa yawned before hanging up.

The human took a deep breath, tilting her head back to look at the stars. _He was going to propose… I have to find him and apologise!_

As official members of the Thalassic Clan, each ectoplasm-infused child had been given a miniature ghost portal that opened into the middle of the Clan's territory. Pocketing her phone, Sam tapped the bracelet she wore, keying in a short code when a section of it slid back to reveal a tiny number pad.

The bracelet beeped in satisfaction, and Sam reached out with both hands. She grasped the empty air in front of her, feeling her fingers close around the edges of something. With a sharp tug, the space tore open like curtains being thrown aside, revealing a swirling green gap.

Kicking her heels together, Sam leaped into the air as a hover board folded out from her boots. With scarcely a wobble, the young woman flew through the portal, tapping her bracelet again so that it closed behind her.

...

Bright Eyes swallowed nervously, blasting the wall before him with the Plasmius Phaser. A section large enough for two people to pass through side-by-side turned translucent, and the agent strolled straight through the now-intangible wall and into Vlad Masters' cell.

The man in question was sitting on the edge of his cot, eyes closed and hands clasped loosely in his lap. A garish orange and yellow suit hung off his frame, and the man's hair was shorn to a military-style crop.

"Um, sir?"

Vlad opened his eyes, somehow managing to look down his nose at the agent despite his current predicament. "Are you here to break me out or to kill me?"

"The former," Bright Eyes insisted, moving to kneel before his master. "Did they implant a tracker in you?"

Vlad tapped the spot lightly. "Yes, but be careful – Spirit broke most of my bones, and they have yet to heal."

"I thought halfas were hospitable," the agent grumbled as he produced a knife, digging its tip into the spot Vlad had indicated just beneath his collarbone. The halfa flinched, biting down on his lip so hard that it split instantly.

"One would think so," he managed to respond in a strained voice. "Now, shall we leave, or are you planning on rescuing your companions?"

"Let's just go," the agent responded, drawing away with a small chip of metal clasped in his fingers. "We can save them when you have your strength back and I'm a halfa. If we rescue them now, we risk being discovered. There, the chip's out."

Vlad stood slowly, pressing the hem of his sleeve against the wound on his collarbone. "Lead the way," he commanded.

Bright Eyes smirked, brandishing the Phaser. "As you wish, Sir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where I stopped, way back in 2013. I liked the main ideas of the fic but the execution just wasn't working for me as I grew as a writer. This story has been re-written with a much more cohesive plot under the title 'Crux Redux.' Thanks so much for reading!


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